Tips for Staying Healthy at School

Whether you're a student athlete or just trying to maintain good health, school can sometimes offer challenges to staying on a healthy regimen. Now that school is starting back up again, here are some simple back to school health tips that'll help you keep up on your health while in the classroom.

Rest Up: I know this seems basic but it’s a huge factor some people overlook. If you aren't getting enough sleep that can affect your attitude, eating habits, and even your ability to fight off infections. It is also the main way you recover from stress put on your body through sports or exercise.

Cut Down on the Screen Time: This goes in hand with getting the proper amount of rest. Screens can reduce the natural production of melatonin which is what makes us sleepy to begin with. Spending too much time in front of the screen, especially right before you go to sleep, can hurt your sleep schedule and put you at a disadvantage.

Backpacks: Backpacks are essential to school, although if your backpack is too heavy it can lead to lower back and shoulder issues. Your backpack should be no more than 10% of your body weight - past 10% and you're starting to put extra strain on your shoulders and back. To help with backpack weight, make sure to evenly distribute the weight in your backpack and put the heavier objects closer to your back. Also make sure to take only the books you will need for that day, leaving the other books in your locker or at home.

HYDRATE!: We know energy drinks are popular and that soda is too often an option, but drinking water instead of soda or energy drinks can lead to a better mood, more energy, better weight management, and even helps with digestion. Ironically, you might have more long-term energy from drinking water even though there is the short-term energy boost from drinking soda or an energy drink. Eventually, that will lead you to crash, leaving you feeling groggy and tired. You should aim to drink at least 6-8 cups of water a day which is about 3 - 4 water bottles a day.

Don’t Skip Meals: I know being a student can be hectic just from studying and classes alone can be hard, but if you’re an athlete or working it can make it even harder. You can get so busy you forget to eat but this is something you want to avoid at all costs. Skipping meals leads to lower energy levels, worsened mood, and even in some cases reduces muscle. Make it easy on yourself and prepare some on-the-go meals you can grab and eat easily to stay on top of it. Its also a great idea to grab some snacks to help if you can’t make on-the-go meals, some good examples of snacks are our meat bites, grain free brownie crunch, or our nutrition bars. We’re gonna break this down some more further in the series, so make sure to keep up to date!

[Bonus Tip] Plan your week: Planning your week can show you how much time you have to work on things or to rest. Breaking down what you all have to do in a week can let you maximize your time and leaves more time for things you want to do.

School is hard already, no sense making it harder on yourself with poor health. You’ll notice a huge difference once you take some of these simple tips into account.