Staying Healthy in College: Part 2 (Self-Care Edition)
Self-care has been trending for a few years now, but do we know what it actually means? Self-care is an act of nurturing yourself and adding to your health, well-being, and happiness. In today’s post, we will discuss three self-care activities that you can try out right now to give yourself that extra bit of oomph to stay healthy in college!
Before we get into our list, I want to talk about Self-care and its benefits. Self-care is simply “caring for yourself.” As I mentioned above, self-care acts are moments of nurture in your day that make you feel better in the long run and aid in improving your overall health and well-being. These moments are not for you to build ‘self-improvement’ habits. These habits are built from a perfectionist mind frame and often leave the individual disappointed in themselves for missing a day or two. Self-improvement habits also set the idea that everything will be better once you establish this new habit in your life! There is nothing wrong with having goals to improve your daily habits, but they are not self-care. Self-care allows you to do something fulfilling and nurturing that makes you feel good at the moment and adds to your overall health (both physical and mental).
This leads me to some common activities that people claim are self-care but really are not. One of these activities is mindlessly scrolling through social media or drinking an extra glass (or two) of wine after work. These are ‘numbing’ activities or a way to distract yourself from what is going on around you. These activities may help you feel good at the moment, but their effects are short-lived.
So, what activities are considered self-care?
There are three types of self-care that you can incorporate: body, mind, and community. All three of which are easy to incorporate into your busy schedule.
I. Body
Changes to your diet, exercise, and sleep can go a long way. Making changes to these areas of your life can add to your overall physical health and residual benefits for your mental health. So, what can you do?
1. Add some veggies to your meals and opt for less processed foods (sorry, pizza)
2. Slowly add in some moments of physical activity like taking a short walk after lunch. Not only is this a great way to de-stress, but it can also help with digestion. It also helps you get some exercise in your busy day. (Want to know what benefits you may get from regular physical activity? Check out Exercise or Extra Fries? 3 benefits of physical activity and Staying Healthy in College: Part 1!)
3. Limit screen time before bed! The lights of electronics such as from your phone, computer, or televisions send a message to your brain that it is daytime and that you should be awake. To get a good night of sleep, you want to send messages to your brain that tell it that it is time to rest. You can do this by putting away devices an hour before bed and fill the time with a routine that you do every night that promotes relaxation. Bonus tip: create a comfortable space in which to sleep. Choose super comfy pillows and a nice, soft comforter that you look forward to laying down with every night.
II. Mind
This one is all about caring for your thoughts, emotions, and feelings.
1. Try therapy. Most college campuses offer some mental health care as part of their health facilities. This one is the hardest for some people to consider because of the social stigma surrounding it, but I am here to tell you that there is nothing wrong with going to a therapist or a counselor to talk. If one-on-one therapy sounds too daunting, maybe try group therapy. If talking with a group about your feelings seems still too daunting, maybe try art therapy. There are tons of options, and the mental health facilities on campus can help you find the best fit for you!
2. Stress management is a BIG issue on college campuses. The abundance of work put on students as well as the pressure put on you from work and other outside forces can be difficult to carry 24/7. Activities like yoga or meditation can help you manage these stress levels and give you a healthy outlet to address the stressors.
III. Community
Humans are instinctively communal creatures, so it’s a no-brainer that communal activities may be considered a good way to care for yourself.
1. Join a cause that you are passionate about. Are you passionate about making your campus greener? Join an eco-friendly club on campus where you can meet with people that share your passion. Do you love History? Join/create a history club where you can come together and discuss the historical inaccuracies that plague some of the world’s most beloved films!
2. Spend time with a friend or a family member. This could be as simple as a quick trip to the campus coffee shop or a lunch date to catch up. Spending time with people you love and care for is very beneficial to your health. Making this a part of your daily/ weekly routine can help you avoid isolating yourself, which many college students tend to do especially when they feel overwhelmed with schoolwork. Allow yourself to have that coffee with your BFF every Tuesday between Chem lab and English comp. Take that time to let go and enjoy the time with your friend, even if it is just for 15 minutes.
Want some more self-care ideas? Have some ideas that you would like to share with other “Fitstorians?” Let us know in the comments or shoot me an email! I would love to hear from you!
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