The Importance of Physical Health
Health and happiness go hand in hand. Since the body and mind are so connected, taking care of your physical health is helpful for your mental health. Making intentional healthy changes to your lifestyle can boost your wellness in meaningful ways.
Exercise
Exercise can have a significant influence on our happiness!
It releases feel-good chemicals in the brain and can boost self-esteem. It even helps keep the immune system strong. Being active will help both your body and mind thrive!
Eat Well
Studies show that you can actually improve your mood with food! Eating more nourishing, whole foods can directly influence brain health in important ways.
Sleep, Rest, & Relax
Getting enough sleep makes us happier and healthier. And, it's important to take a break, rest, and relax when you need it. It's good for you!
Why Movement Matters
Exercise is an instant mood booster, and it’s good for your long-term mental and physical health. In college, many of our busy days are spent sitting down in class and then doing coursework in front of our computers. But research shows that the way our brains function, our ability to think and learn, and our memory is improved by exercise (Ratey 2008).
Exercise releases endorphins, the chemicals in your brain that energize us and make us feel good. It also relieves stress and can be a powerful tool for mental health challenges. Staying physically active causes us to feel more energetic during the day and sleep better at night, and can help us have a more positive, relaxed, and confident outlook on ourselves and our lives (Robinson 2021).
Research shows that getting 30 minutes of exercise on most days has a multitude of mental health benefits (Laskowski 2021). You can even break this time down into ten or fifteen-minute chunks. You can lead an active lifestyle in ways that work for you. Make an effort to visit your campus gym or take a fitness class.
Or, take walks outdoors. Being outside in the sunlight, and taking time to appreciate nature, is very restorative in that it can reduce stress and boost vitality (Ryan 2014). If you find a way to be active that you like, and incorporate this into your day, you will enjoy numerous mental and physical benefits.
​
Healthy Foods are Happy Foods
When foods are closer to their natural state, they are rich in nutrients, which significantly support our health and in turn, our happiness. Vitamins, healthy proteins, and fats are consistently correlated with positive mental health outcomes, better brain and gut health, and better moods. (Kennedy 2016). Eating several portions of fruits and vegetables a day can directly increase one’s level of well-being (Veenhoven 2021).
Healthy foods are happy foods! Choose a “rainbow” of nutrients for your plate at the dining hall. A variety of natural fruits, vegetables, and whole grains ensures that you are getting the nutrition that the mind and body need to thrive.
Stock up on delicious healthy snacks, like fresh fruit, vegetables with dip, or almonds.
Remember, it’s okay to enjoy your favorite bag of chips or ice cream sometimes, too.
​
Check out our to learn about healthy, easy, and affordable meals for college students.
​
Invest in Good Rest
Getting enough hours of quality sleep is essential for our bodies and minds. Sleep helps us think more clearly, more easily manage emotions, and support our immune systems and physical health (Steptoe 2008).
It is recommended that adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night (American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society). However, many college students are sleep-deprived. Our minds might be racing about the day that’s gone by or tomorrow’s to-do list. Try to keep away from your phone and other devices before bedtime, as it’s easy to be kept awake by them. Around an hour or half an hour before you need to go to sleep, start a gentle wind-down routine to calm your mind.
If we are well-rested and energized, we are less stressed, more able to concentrate, and in better moods--all of which are helpful benefits for busy college students.
​
​
​
​
​
​
References
CDC - How Much Sleep Do I Need? - Sleep and Sleep Disorders. (2022). Center for Disease Control. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html
Kennedy DO. B Vitamins and the Brain: Mechanisms, Dose and Efficacy--A Review. Nutrients. 2016 Jan 27;8(2):68. doi: 10.3390/nu8020068. PMID: 26828517; PMCID: PMC4772032.
Laskowski. (2021, September 22). Exercise: How much do I need every day? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916#:%7E:text=As%20a%20general%20goal%2C%20aim,your%20risk%20of%20metabolic%20problems.
Robinson, L. (2022, March 11). The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise. HelpGuide.Org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm
Ryan, Catherine O., William D. Browning, Joseph O. Clancy, Scott L. Andrews, and Namita B. Kallianpurkar. "Biophilic Design Patterns: Emerging Nature-Based Parameters for Health and Well-Being in the Built Environment." Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, vol. 8, issue 2 (2014): 62-76.
Steptoe A, O'Donnell K, Marmot M, Wardle J. Positive affect, psychological well-being, and good sleep. J Psychosom Res. 2008 Apr;64(4):409-15. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.11.008. PMID: 18374740.
Veenhoven, R. Will Healthy Eating Make You Happier? A Research Synthesis Using an Online Findings Archive. Applied Research Quality Life 16, 221–240 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-019-09748-7
​
​
​