With flu season right around the corner and final exams soon after, keeping your health in peak condition is of the utmost importance.
Dorm rooms and dining halls are breeding grounds for germs, however, and staving off the flu is often easier said than done.
Luckily, with these helpful tips for students staying healthy in the winter, you’ll be in top form just in time to ace your exams.
Stock up on supplements
During the winter, your body’s immune system has to work overtime to keep you healthy. Ensuring your body receives the proper nutrients is crucial to staving off illnesses. One of the most beneficial supplements you can take in the winter is vitamin D. Your body absorbs most of its daily vitamin D through sun exposure.
Because sunshine is often in short supply during the winter, it’s all the more important that you take a daily vitamin D supplement.
Taking a daily vitamin D supplement will decrease the likelihood of developing illnesses related to vitamin D deficiencies, such as osteomalacia or osteoporosis.
Practice good hygiene
It may come as a no-brainer, but one of the most important tips for staying healthy in the winter is to practice good hygiene.
Take extra care to sanitize your surroundings and keep yourself safe from germs. Wash your hands frequently throughout the day and carry hand sanitizer to help protect you against the many germs you encounter daily.
Washing laundry and bed sheets regularly will also help keep your area free from germs and protect you against common winter illnesses.
It may also be beneficial to carry cleansing wipes with you to protect against the abundance of germs that take up residence in public areas. It’s easy for germs to accumulate in public areas, especially in dining halls, classrooms, and dorm floors that accommodate many people daily. Public gyms are also a hot-spot for germs. Be sure to thoroughly clean exercise equipment before and after use to further reduce the risk of catching an illness this winter.
Get some sleep
Whether out with friends or pulling an all-nighter studying for a test, college students often find themselves keeping odd hours and inconsistent sleep schedules. However, getting an insufficient amount of sleep each night may cause you to develop illnesses more easily.
Your body is better able to repair itself when it’s at rest. As such, maintaining a regular sleep schedule is instrumental to remain healthy during the winter. If you’re feeling run down, it may be a sign that your body needs a break.
other valuable tips:
Practice self-care
Mental health is just as important as physical health and should be handled with care during the upcoming winter months. The short days and cold weather that accompany winter can have a negative impact on mental health.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that occurs as a result of the changing seasons and is quite common during winter. Taking a break from schoolwork, spending time with friends, and practicing self-care can help you manage the symptoms that accompany SAD.
Image Credit: students staying healthy by Pixabay
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