3 Healthy Habits in College

Developing healthy habits for colleges may at first be a struggle but will only benefits individuals in the long run. During the transition from high school to college it is hard to regulate a healthy lifestyle with such an increase in freedom. Peer pressure for drugs and alcohol will increase dramatically. Healthy nutrition habits will be harder to keep up with along with keeping a regular sleeping schedule. It is also important that students prioritize getting exercise. It is important in the hectic times of school to try and regulate the key aspects that will keep students healthy longer. These include sleep, nutrition, fitness and conscious decisions regarding drugs and alcohol.

Sleep is an essential factor that affects students in college both negatively and positively.  The first numbers that pop into our heads when we think about sleep is the well known 8 hours of sleep a night that specialist say we should be getting each night. But realistically, what college student is getting a solid 8 hours of sleep each night of the week? None of them, and if they tell you they are, they’re lying. However students need to be taking their sleeping schedules into consideration a lot more seriously than they are. The amount of sleep students receive every night doesn’t only affect their ability to wake up in time for class, but has effects on brain function, memory recollection and many other key essentials that are used in and out of the classroom. “Sleep research shows that an ongoing sleep deficiency can compromise memory, decrease alertness and attention, lead to poor decision-making and is now even considered to be a risk factor for obesity. At the other extreme, excessive sleep can be a symptom of both physical and mental health problems”(Dobbs 1). Students need to find a balance between what is too much sleep and what is to little sleep.

There is a significant difference between the amount of sleep students get on the weekdays compared to the weekends. This drastic change has been proven to have an impact on students success in the classroom. In a study conducted on 200 first year college students in a large private college, results proved that the differing hours of sleep received during the week vs. weekends affected their GPAs. “For each hour of delay in reported average weekday wake-up time, the predicted GPA decreased by 0.132 on a standard 0.00 to 4.00 grading scale” (Trockel 1).  

First step to develop a healthy sleeping habit in college, students need to do identify the amount of sleep required to feel rested.

The time an individual needs to sleep each night differs from person to person. Getting the correct amount of sleep helps prevent the weakening of the immune system. According to the health center at the University of Georgia, (sleep) “ Restores our energy, fights off illness and fatigue by strengthening our immune system.” (UG 1) Often college students turn to napping to help with their tiredness from getting not enough sleep the night before. This tendency actually ends up putting the students at a disadvantage, because “The effect is that nappers sleep less than non-nappers.” (UG 1) Not too many students know that a quick nap could benefit them more than a long nap.

One of the many factors known to affect students is nutrition. Everyone has heard the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” but many of us don’t have the time or see the need to take time each morning to eat.

Throughout college there have been many problems that students will face. A main problem is the type of habits a person creates.  The habits college students have to make include nutrition, sleep, fitness, alcohol/drugs are choices students make everyday. Habits are created by getting into a routine everyday or multiple times a week. If the routine is not being used in the correct way it can cause unhealthy or bad habits. An example of getting into an unhealthy habit is staying up all night to do homework or other activities because it affects a student’s sleeping schedule. Sleep is essential and is needed to be able to perform other activities like focusing throughout the day or in class. When a habit turns bad, it can affect an individual throughout college if they aren’t making the right decisions, and it can affect the body mentally and physically in a horrible way and people will notice.

“Fitness/exercise in college is a topic and a struggle for students that is faced everyday. “Most students are aware of the dreaded “Freshman 15” which usually starts small at around five to seven pounds and increases steadily during a student’s time in school. The weight gain can be caused by unhealthy eating, sleeping habits and lack of exercise”(Miller). This statement from this article explains the unhealthy habits that most college students face but can see that if you are not doing well with one habit it can cause other ones like gain weight. To avoid this, collge students should be getting a certain amount of physical activity to prevent gaining unnecessary weight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “about 5.2 million college students are obese.” (Miller). To prevent this from happening, students need to be more motivated and should want to put the effort into fitness to get the body in better shape and also have a healthy body. A university performed a study that tried to prove whether students would be at a “better state of physical health and greater happiness than those who didn’t exercise” (“Getting Exercise In College” 2008). Students exercised at least 3 times a week which helped the the researchers test their hypothesis.

From the study performed by Tufts University, the researchers concluded results that showed fitness is a key component in everyday life. Adults should get at least one hundred fifty minutes plus muscle strengthening activities a week. In another article it says exercising can be one of the first habits students can drop when transitioning in college. This is because trying to fit in a exercise between classes is hard or can’t find time for it can be difficult. Also in this article it says “exercise helps you sleep better at night, improves mood, decreases stress, improves focus for better studying, and makes it easier to achieve or maintain a healthy weight” (Hauspurg). That shows that one habit can affect all the other habits in a good way or a bad way depending on what type of decisions are made which is very important when making decisions in college.    

In conclusion, being able to get out of bad habits isn’t always easy. It takes about 21 days of doing an activity to make it a habit whether it is good or bad. The first step of getting out of a bad habit is to become motivated. Being driven will help a person achieve their goals. For example, bad habits would include eating unhealthy or not getting the right amount of exercise that they would like. The person should try going to the gym and to plan a healthier diet.  Once the student or individual gets into a routine, eating healthy, getting exercise, and other habits will be easy to overcome.

A big problems students face when trying to develop healthy is the usage of drugs and alcohol. Students use drugs as a way to help them feel good, have fun, and sometimes focus on their studies. The main drugs that are found on college campuses are alcohol, marijuana, and adderall. Many of these drugs have been abused by many college students. The abuse has caused students to do poorly in their academic performance which has caused many students to drop out of college. Students will binge drink, drink a lot of alcohol in a short period of time, in order to go out and party with friends. People smoke marijuana to help themselves feel good. Adderall is abused by college students to help them stay focused and eliminate any distractions around them. Drugs and alcohol give people who abuse them several health risks, it also just so happens that a big population of people that are abusing drugs and alcohol are college students.

Alcohol is illegal to people under the age of 21 in the United States. Half of college students are under 21, which means half of the college population are drinking alcohol illegally. People drink alcohol to help them relax, party and have fun, and help reduce stress and anxiety. It’s the most popular substance to use among college students. “Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth. More kids try alcohol than try cigarettes and a substantial number of young people begin drinking at very young ages.” (Wilcox) Alcohol can also be very dangerous because many accidents can occur while under the influence. “Excessive drinking can lead to something as minor as a hangover or it can lead to death. According to NIH, about 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking, including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers and receiving lower grades. The NIH also reports that  1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related injuries. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can also lead to other serious side effects.” (Student Health – Drug & Alcohol Abuse among College Students.) Drinking alcohol will change your state of mind. You get more abusive and are at a greater risk to assault or be assaulted, be sexualy abused, and develop alcholism. “Whatever it is that leads adolescents to begin drinking, once they start they face a number of potential health and safety risks. Young people who drink are more likely to be sexually active and to have unsafe, unprotected sex; are more likely to be involved in a fight, commit violent crimes, fail at school, use other drugs, and experience verbal, physical, or sexual violence.  And those who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcoholism later in life than those who begin drinking at age 21.”(Wilcox) Alcohol affects many students in some way. “More than 690,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking.” (Wilcox) “More than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.” (Wilcox) “599,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 receive unintentional injuries while under the influence of alcohol.” (Wilcox) “About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.” (Wilcox) “: More than 150,000 students develop an alcohol-related health problem and between 1.2 and 1.5 percent of students indicate that they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug use.” (Wilcox) “1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from unintentional alcohol-related injuries.” (Wilcox)

The second substance that is popular on college campuses is Marijuana. A lot of people get into smoking Marijuana because they feel like they need to smoke it to fit in. “Second to alcohol on college campuses is marijuana, reefer, Mary Jane, weed or pot. According to a survey conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, 47 percent of college students have tried it at least once, with 30 percent admitting to using it in the past year. Like alcohol, marijuana is popular in the media and present in music, movies and television.” (Drugs Commonly Abused by College Students.) Marijuana is used for medical purposes. “Medical marijuana is the same marijuana that is smoked recreationally, and the appeal is largely the same: It can improve mood and relieve pain. It is typically prescribed for patients with cancer, AIDS, ADHD, Crohn’s disease, neurogenic pain, migraines, arthritis or multiple sclerosis.” (Student Health – Drug & Alcohol Abuse among College Students.) Marijuana is easily obtained by college students and abused too. Just like alcohol, there are side effects from using Marijuana. Weed increases anxiety and decreases reaction time.  Marijuana is also known as a gateway drug. Many people who have used Marijuana have claimed that they have used other drugs. “About 9 out of 10 students who use marijuana participate in other high-risk activities such as heavy drinking or cigarette smoking, according to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health. Marijuana use is also associated with poor academic performance, isolation, participation in criminal acts and a weakened immune system, which can lead to a number of health problems” (Student Health – Drug & Alcohol Abuse among College Students.)

A big problem students face is the work load they receive from their classes. College students will receive so much work from their classes that they need to find time to do it all. A way that students get all their work done is staying up all night to get it done or to study for an exam. They also take a pill known as Adderall. “Adderall is known as “the study drug” on college campuses, but that’s not why it is prescribed or why it was developed. It is a prescription drug for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is widely abused, however, by students without an ADHD diagnosis. In fact, one in five college students admits to using Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) without an ADHD diagnosis, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.” (Student Health – Drug & Alcohol Abuse among College Students.) “Students without ADHD who take Adderall report a heightened sense of motivation, focus and concentration, which can help when pulling an all-nighter and provide an added boost before an exam. Adderall does not make a student smarter; it simply helps eliminate distractions and allows students to stay focused.” (Student Health – Drug & Alcohol Abuse among College Students.) Adderall can get students hooked and addicted. These people have been know to have many health risks which include “headaches, depression, dry mouth, and loss of appetite”.  (Student Health – Drug & Alcohol Abuse among College Students.) “Adderall abuse is considered a serious problem among college students. According to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than 11 percent of people ages 12 to 25 reported using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons within the past year, and full-time college students ages 18 to 22 were twice as likely to abuse Adderall as those of the same age not in college. When students take Adderall without a medical reason, they can easily become addicted to and dependent on the drug.” (Student Health – Drug & Alcohol Abuse among College Students.)

It’s very important to college students to develop a healthy habits. Having a good night sleep is key in order to stay focused on your studies. Along with sleep, nutrition is important in order to keep the brain recharged. Having a good fitness plan is key to help stay in shape and avoid “the freshman 15”. Staying away from drugs and alcohol will also help stay healthy.  All of these are key aspects to help staying healthy for longer time.

Works Cited

Blackmores. “How Long Does It Really Take to Break a Habit?” Blackmores. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

“Getting Exercise in College.” KidsHealth – the Web’s Most Visited Site about Children’s Health. The Nemours Foundation, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

Https://www.facebook.com/grownandflown. “Tips for Healthy Eating & Fitness Habits for College Students  .” Grown and Flown. N.p., 21 Jan. 2016. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

Miller, Daylina, DM. “Fighting the Obesity Epidemic on College Campuses.” USA Today. Gannett, 7 Nov. 2011. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

“Drugs Commonly Abused by College Students.” Dual Diagnosis. Dual Diagnosis, n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

“Student Health – Drug & Alcohol Abuse among College Students.” DrugWatch. DrugWatch, 18

May 2016. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.

Wilcox, Stephen. “Underage and College Drinking.” National Council on Alcoholism and Drug

Dependence. N.p., 27 June 2015. Web. 21 Nov. 2016.