Self Care in College

A healthy mind and body is critical when in college. Although, it sometimes gets pushed aside for things like academics or social life, your wellness can play a major part in your academic success. Practicing self-care is a vital part of staying healthy physically, emotionally and mentally.

Sleep

Regular and restful sleep is essential for good health. Quality sleep can improve many aspects of mind and body such as your mood, energy level, ability to focus in class, remember things and work efficiently. Sleeps helps reduce stress and can help you maintain a healthy diet. Sleep is an important aspect of learning. Losing out on sleep disrupts ones ability to learn and remember. University students are the most sleep-deprived demogrpahic, and sleep deprived students generally have a lower test score average. Below are some tips to increase your sleep.

Getting enough sleep in college is very important. Ways to improve sleep include limiting consumption of caffeine and alcohol, stop using all technology 30 minutes before bed and sleeping at least eight hours per night.

The American Psychological Associationhas a vast amount of information on why sleep is important. Read more.

Nutrition

Navigating a healthy diet in college can be difficult. Having healthy nutrition habits are vital to academic success.

To stay on track with your health and diet, utilize the resources offered on campus.

Student Health Services has an in-house Registered Dietician. The Dietician/Nutritionist at the SHS offers individual nutrition counseling, programming in residence halls and talks for various on campus organizations. Read more about the available nutrition services.

Mindfullness, Meditation and Yoga

Meditation is a means of transforming the mind. Meditation encourages and develops concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn the patterns and habits of your mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate new, more positive ways of being.

Stony Brook proudly offers various meditation and yoga practices on campus.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers mindfulness meditation programs. View a list of their class offerings.

Recreation and Wellness offers several mind and body programs such as yoga, trigger point foam rolling classes and mindfulness meditation. View a list of their class offerings.

There are also many free resources on the web to help guide you through a mindfulness based meditation program and explain the importance of mindfullness. The video below is just one example.