Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2009 - (Page 37)

planning ahead for college by Michelle Muratori, Ph.D. Here’s to Your Health! I once was walking through the lobby of a college residence hall and overheard a conversation between two freshmen. One asked the other, “What’s up?” I’ve never forgotten the young man’s response: “I’ve got to do laundry. I haven’t washed my sheets for four months.” I was speechless. (By the way, if you are wondering what’s wrong with washing sheets once a semester, please do ask your mom. I’m sure she will be happy to explain). You may be wondering what washing sheets has to do with college, much less planning ahead for it. Although learning to do laundry may seem very low in terms of priorities, the issue of developing and maintaining good hygiene practices and a healthy lifestyle may be more important than you’d initially think. Putting into practice strategies to take care of your health is as critical to your overall well-being as attending to your academic needs. You may place a lot of pressure on yourself to achieve high grades in school, but how would you grade yourself in terms of your eating and sleeping habits, stress management practices, and exercise? Nutrition In order to make good dietary choices, it is important to be knowledgeable about what you eat. If you are consuming too many or too few calories per day, too many carbohydrates or too much saturated fat, or food that offers few nutrients, you would be wise to develop a nutritional plan that will help you achieve greater balance. A recent article in the European Journal of Nutrition addressed the impact of diet on cognitive development and emphasized the importance of getting proper nutrition, especially during times of rapid growth (data from a dozen countries showed peaks of growth around ages 7, 1, and 15). Poor nutrition can negatively influence the structure of the brain and can also have short-term effects on behavior. So the next time you are hungry while studying for an exam, choose healthy snacks. Exercise and Stress Physical activity plays a vital role in the maintenance of good health, so you should build it into your schedule. Exercise ideally includes a combination of aerobic, musclestrengthening, and bone-strengthening activities, and can help you remain physically fit, reduce stress, and prevent health problems from developing later in life. If the thought of joining a gym doesn’t appeal to you, find another outlet to release your energy and stress. Take a dance class, join a sports team, ride your bike, or just go for a walk. When you enter college, it will be important to remain active, and with intramural sports and pickup games of Ultimate Frisbee, you don’t need to be an accomplished athlete to participate. Sleep The words “student” and “sleep-deprived” often go hand in hand. At times, you may have to sleep less to meet a deadline, but times like this should be the exception, not the rule. Research has shown that sleep deprivation can undermine physical health. And since sleep loss can result in increased irritability, memory loss, increased physical and emotional tension, and difficulty concentrating, it’s not a great idea to force yourself to stay awake to study or work on a school project when you are tired. ltimately, getting the rest, exercise, and nutrition your body needs as well as maintaining good hygiene practices (e.g., washing your hands frequently)will help you to avoid becoming ill, which in turn will help you stay on track at school. Failing to heed your body’s warning signs can set you back in the long run. Here are just a few signals that will alert you to take better care of your body: lowered resistance to illness (e.g., frequent colds), increased irritability or moodiness, depressed affect or anxiety, chronic fatigue, falling asleep in class or during study time, and being more sensitive than usual to criticism. In college, you will be faced with many new challenges and will have to adjust to a new way of life. For any number of reasons—greater freedom and independence, an active social life, extracurricular activities, increased stress, a busy academic schedule and other time constraints—it may be easy to neglect your health, but don’t let that happen. Be proactive about your health. It is human nature to fall back on old habits during stressful times, so make sure those “old habits” (which you can start developing now) are ones that will keep you well and bring you greater balance in life. And when you leave for college, don’t forget to bring and, most importantly, use your Tide. i For information about taking care of your health: CDC: Adolescent Health: www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/az National Association for Health & Fitness: www.physicalfitness.org National Sleep Foundation: www.sleepfoundation.org USDA: MyPyramid: www.mypyramid.gov. imagine 7 U January/February 009 http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/az http://www.physicalfitness.org http://www.sleepfoundation.org http://www.mypyramid.gov

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2009

Imagine Magazine - John Hopkins - January/February 2009
Contents
Letters
Big Problems
In My Own Words
Witness to a Pandemic
An Ounce of Prevention
Of Math and Measles
Predicting the Next Pandemic
Medicine, Medicine Everywhere
Food Matters
Looking for a Challenge? Try Summer College!
CTY: The Real Deal
Hot Topic
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Middle Ground
One Step Ahead
Exploring Career Options
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Sudoku
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - January/February 2009