College is an exciting time. For many students, it's their first extended stint living away from mom and dad.
But the stress of maintaining good grades, living on a limited income, and getting along with roommates can take its toll, mentally and physically.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions for staying healthy at college:
- Get regular medical checkups and vaccinations.
- Get plenty of sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to bad grades, depressed mood, and difficulty maintaining relationships. It also raises your risk of chronic problems including diabetes and heart disease.
- Make time for regular exercise.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Don't ignore symptoms of depression.
- Don't abuse drugs or alcohol.
- Take precautions to prevent sexually transmitted disease.
Health Tip: Get a Better Night's Sleep
Instead of turning to a pot of coffee to keep you awake during the day, experts say you should focus on getting better sleep at night.
The National Sleep Foundation offers these suggestions for more restful sleep:
- Wake in the morning and go to bed at night at the same time.
- Relax before bedtime.
- Make sure your bedroom is comfortable, dark, cool and quiet, and do nothing in your bedroom other than sleep and have sex.
- Avoid eating, exercising and consuming caffeine within a few hours of bedtime.
- Don't smoke, and avoid alcohol just before bed.
- Make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable.
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