Student health: how to stay healthy at the University?

As you can imagine, it is not always easy to stay healthy at university. Education,
student jobs and social life can unbalance the way of life and have repercussions on
health.
Nevertheless, even though the university can sometimes seem hectic ... one must never
forget to take care of one's health. In addition to avoiding getting sick, staying in shape
and eating in a balanced way can help you improve your productivity and, therefore,
study better.
And as we will explain below, following a healthy lifestyle does not necessarily mean
that it will cost you more (in fact, it may even save you money).
With the start of the academic year just beginning, we thought it would be interesting to
give you some advice to have a 2017-2018 academic year synonymous with balance
and good health .
Alcohol: stay reasonable!
Recent statistics on the subject show that more and more young adults are choosing
not to consume alcohol and that this is partly due to a better understanding of the
effects of alcohol on health.
However, these studies also reveal that young people who consume alcohol tend to
drink more binge drinking and therefore consume more than other age groups.

The first weeks of university, which often result in the organization of integration events,
are subject to particularly high consumption of alcohol. However, even if someone plans
to reduce their alcohol consumption, consuming alcoholic drinks every night is usually a
non-healthy practice ...
When talking about alcohol, there are no so-called 'safe' limits. But consuming alcohol
in reasonable doses will reduce the risk of impact on your health. (Not to mention that
reducing your alcohol consumption also saves money, especially if you have a student
budget).
As a reminder, according to the INPES (Public Health France), it is recommended not to
drink more than 2 units of alcohol on average per day for women and 3 units of alcohol
for men.
It is strongly advised to follow these recommendations conscientiously.
If you drink a lot of alcohol during an evening, please make sure your body can recover.
In particular, do not drink alcohol for at least 48 hours.
Sleep: adopt a regular rhythm
For many students, irregular and intense hours of work are part of university life.
Classes can begin at an early hour or, on the contrary, at a late hour. It is also common
for students to take a student job to make ends meet. Some weeks may require intense
hours of work, especially when exams are approaching. Not to mention the student
social life, which can be particularly intense.
In addition, living in a student residence or roommate can sometimes be an obstacle to
a smooth sleep. Other residents do not necessarily have the same schedule and living
in a sometimes small community makes it difficult to have quiet nights.
Maintaining good sleep habits (or 'sleep hygiene') has several important health benefits.
This will help you focus better on your study and your work. Sleeping properly is also
important for your immune system to function normally. In the long run, some studies
suggest that good sleep habits reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
So, when possible, try to follow the following tips:
 Sleep between 7 and 9 hours per night
 Try to have a regular sleep pattern. Avoid going to bed or waking up too
late
 Avoid eating just before going to sleep, ideally, it is advisable to eat 2-3
hours before going to sleep
 Try not to use your phone, tablet or computer once you are in bed
 Feel free to use ear plugs or a sleep mask
 Consume caffeine or alcohol in limited quantities
 If you are overworked, make a list of what you need to do the next day
before going to sleep, this will prevent you from going to bed stressed
Whenever possible, we recommend that you give yourself a full day of rest per week.
This will be an opportunity to relax and ultimately increase your productivity.
Take the time to cook: it's better and cheaper
Eating outside or ordering takeaway is a tempting option when you do not want to cook
at home. Especially buying already prepared dishes may seem like a cheaper option
than cooking at home.
But restaurant or take-out food is much more likely to contain high amounts of salt,
sugar and saturated fat (not to mention that it costs more) than what you cook yourself.
And even though the already prepared dishes may be more convenient, at first glance
they are often more expensive than what you can cook at home. Finally, their nutritional
value is often lower.
Cooking your menus is a cheaper and healthier option. Using basic ingredients will give
you the ability to control your intake of salt, sugar and oil. And already having a dish to
warm up that you've cooked yourself reduce the temptation to order a takeaway.
If you want to improve your diet, here are some good tips to follow:
 Invest in solid, safe and tight tupperwares
  Any dish you wish to set aside for another day must cool for two hours
 Divide your leftovers into individual portions for easy freezing and
thawing
 Avoid cooking large quantities of food that you can not heat, such as
with seafood for example
 If you keep leftovers in the fridge, eat them within two days
 Make sure the heated food is hot enough (and hot)
 Do not heat more than once
 Thaw your food only if you plan to eat it and do not thaw more than
once
 Before reheating, please make sure your food is completely thawed
 Thawed remains must be eaten within 24 hours
Avoid giving in to temptation and compulsively buying your food or buying promotional
snacks. When shopping, think about the tips below:
 Think about what you already have in your home
 Plan your menus in advance
 Make a list of your races
 Do not go shopping hungry
Do your shopping when there are not too many people (like that, you have the time to
find the ingredients you want and check the prices, rather than rushing)
Sport: Give yourself time to stay active
It is not always easy to find the time to practice a sport, especially when you have busy
weeks. However, a regular sports activity, in addition to helping you stay healthy and
alert, can help you increase your productivity. It is for this reason that even if you are in
a period of intense study, do not stop the sport.
WHO recommends a moderate aerobic activity of at least two and a half hours per week
(eg swimming, brisk walking or cycling); or 75 minutes of aerobic activity (jogging, team
sports like football or basketball a week, and it is also recommended to practice
muscle building twice or more a week.
You can spread these hours during the week in thirty minutes of sport per week, with
two days break. Even during revision or exam periods, try to give yourself enough time
to practice your physical activity.
One of the advantages of being a student is being able to take advantage of
infrastructure within your higher education institution or to have discounted
subscriptions.
If you already have a sport, do not hesitate to ask your university. You can possibly
enroll in one of the university teams. It is a good motivation to continue your sporting
activity on a regular basis, especially the weeks when motivation is lower.
Stay healthy: take care of your health and hygiene
If you are slightly ill, your academic performance will be affected. This is why it is
important to react immediately as soon as you develop symptoms.
It is important to keep in mind that living in a dormitory or roommate can promote the
sharing of bacteria. As noted above, having a good night's sleep, moderate alcohol use,
and regular sports will help strengthen your immune system.
Nevertheless, the importance of good hygiene should not be underestimated. Indeed, it
is important to keep your living space (individual and common) clean and tidy. These
precautions will reduce the risk of infections. Not to mention that living in a tidy space
will help you strengthen your ability to concentrate.
Of course, it is not always possible to avoid colds and bacteria. If you get sick, the best
advice is to rest for a few days and drink plenty of water. If you notice any unusual
symptoms or worsen, consult your doctor.