Health wellness is both subjective and active – you may still feel sick even though all tests conducted by doctors show normal results.
Healthy habits such as a balanced diet, daily exercise, and screenings are essential in maintaining wellness. At Roger Williams University, we encourage you to utilize all the available on-campus and off-campus resources for your wellbeing.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy body. Exercise helps prevent diseases like heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure while decreasing cancer risks and other medical issues. it also reduces depression while increasing energy levels.
Endurance or aerobic exercises such as brisk walking and swimming increase your heart rate and promote heart and lung health, while strength or resistance training exercises help strengthen muscles. Balance and flexibility exercises such as yoga or stretching keep us flexible.
For maximum effectiveness of exercise, aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all days of the week. If you’re new to physical activity and don’t know where to begin, start small sessions before expanding them over time. Also choose an environment which makes you comfortable – perhaps an unmirrored gym or scenic trail can help ease any anxiety related to how you look while exercising.
Eat Right
National Nutrition Month’s theme this year is “Eat Right, Feel Right.” Cooper Clinic registered dietitian nutritionists emphasize the importance of not simply selecting healthy foods; it’s about how and when we eat. Cooper Clinic registered dietitian nutritionists emphasize recognizing real hunger from your throat area so you can eat when hungry; shopping smart at grocery stores by reading Nutrition Facts labels is recommended; limit added sugars and saturated fat while increasing fiber, lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, dairy alternatives as well as fortified soy alternatives if possible – show them this chart (136KB) to help guide their decisions!
For more on health and wellness, download the free Health & Wellness mobile app on your mobile phone.
Sleep Well
No matter how active and healthy your lifestyle, sleep deprivation could still compromise its benefits. Most adults require at least 7-8 hours of restful slumber each night for optimal functioning; getting too little can impair your ability to focus, manage emotions and make sound decisions.
Poor sleep may be caused by several factors, including insufficient light, noise or temperature in your bedroom; alcohol or caffeine before bed; snoring or obstructive sleep apnea; stressors like family conflicts or work issues – identifying and managing them will allow for restful restful slumber.
Add sleep hygiene techniques into your routine in order to enhance it, such as going to bed on a consistent schedule, keeping the room dark and quiet (using ear plugs or white noise), shutting off electronic devices 30 minutes prior to bedtime, and engaging in regular physical activity.
Manage Stress
Stress is a normal response to life’s changes and challenges, helping us stay focused and perform at our best, yet too much can become strainful for both mind and body. Too much can increase vulnerability to illness while contributing to mental health conditions like anxiety or depression.
Under stress, your body releases chemicals to help you escape or fight back against danger. Once the threat has passed, hormone levels should return to normal; but if life’s pressure and stressors remain constant, these chemical imbalances could remain within your body and result in poor concentration, bad moods, hopelessness or professional burnout; not to mention physical ailments like high blood pressure and heart disease.
Reduce stress levels by finding healthy ways to deal with everyday problems or by eliminating those things which cause anxiety, like watching the news or driving in traffic, which causes stress. If this makes you anxious, try turning off the TV and driving an alternative route, while avoid substances which numb feelings such as alcohol and caffeine as these will only increase it further.