Getting Enough Sleep?

I find myself tired all the time at college and I know majority of students feel the same way. It is like we are back in elementary school were naps are key to each day. Most students find themselves going to bed late and waking up early whether doing homework or not. I find that no matter how much or how little sleep I get I am exhausted once the afternoon hits.

http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/general_health/sleep.htm

When researching the article listed above I found that so many students feel as though they are not getting enough sleep. Many of these reasons are due to the life style which we live at school. Eating late night meals or snacks, stress, a lot of last minute homework, and those mid day "power naps" are all contributors which make us have trouble sleeping and then exhausted the next day.

College students should be getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night. With out 8 hours of sleep many different factors can be affected including your immune system, being able to pay attention in class, and can affect your mental health. Ways in which you can fix your sleeping problems are by relaxing, not having caffeine at night time, exercise, and sleeping and waking up at the same time everyday.

College Students Getting Sick

When living on campus it seems that once one person gets sick everyone gets sick. It spreads through the dorms like wild fire. Even though many students try their best to stay healthy, you can't always avoid it. At college there are many times where it feels as though everyone is sick. I know when I lived in the dorms I found that if one person in my hall was coming down with a cold, slowly everyone would start feeling a little under the weather.

There is no way to completely avoid becoming sick. However, there are steps in which students should use in order to stay as healthy as they can. When entering college make sure you get all your vaccines. By getting your vaccines it prevents from getting really sick at school and just leaves you to fight off the colds. Also, get the flu shot. Many people think that its a pain because you have to get one every year; yet, it can help in a great way.

Some steps you could use to stay healthy are:
-Wash your hands a lot
-Get enough sleep
-Eat as healthy as you can

http://coldflu.about.com/od/prevention/tp/Health-in-College.htm
On this website you will find the most common steps which college students should take in order to keep healthy to their best abilities.

On college campuses there is always Health Services so if you have any questions on ways to stay healthy you can always go there for a consultation.

Not Everyone is Doing It

Colleges today for parents at least are known for a free-for - all with guys and girls being away from home and able to make their own choices. Many people believe that in college everyone is having sex with any and everyone. This is not necessarily the case because many students still have the since that they will wait until " love" or for marriage.

Some students may take advantage of the freedom they now have but this shouldn't reflect on all the students because not everyone is sexually active. But mostly, the people who are sexually active don't necessarily go around sleeping with everyone they meet.

Students should be educated on the type of things that they are being exposed to if they are having sex and should keep in mind that if you are sexually active at college that this may be your first time but not your partners first time.

http://www.rainn.org/news-room/sexual-assault-news/2008-back-to-school-tips?gclid=CM-BlL-ejpYCFRGHQAodcSimEA

In this website you will learn that not all sexual encounters in college are mutual. Rainn provides information on what to do if this ever happens to you.

If you find yourself questioning any partner you have had or want more information you can always turn to the college health services and and get brochures or talk to the nurses.

The Freshman 15

Most people when joining college are worried about the " Freshman 15". Gaining weight in college is something that everyone is scared for because now they don't have their parents there telling them what they can and can not eat. I believe that this is mostly due to the fact that schools may not have the money to pay for nice food which will help students eat as healthy as they do at home. Also, up at school the food is usually served in a buffet style which allows students to fill their trays and eat as much as they want. Also, alot of schools now have 24 hour dinning commons which lets student go for that midnight snack which they might not have gone for if the dinning common wasn't open.

Colleges and University's outside of the dinning commons have food places which students can get food at. Some Colleges and University's have places like burger king or taco bell on campus which allows student access to these fating foods everyday where if it wasn't on campus they may not have access to it.

I found that if students are educated on how to stay healthy and maintain their weight at school they might realize some unhealthy habits and make healthier choices.

On the following sites it talks about what kind of food you should be getting everyday and what you should avoid. Also in the fit day link you can enter the different type of food you eat and the activities which you do so it is easier to monitor yourself and keep healthy.

http://www.mypyramid.gov/?gclid=CJrQ_bWcjpYCFRfAQAodbQXjEw

http://www.fitday.com/