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What You Can Do For Your Mind
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What You Can Do For Your Mind
My name is Mackenzi and I am currently a dual enrollment student at the College of Central Florida. Between 5 college courses, and having a part time job, sometimes I struggle from time to time on managing my mental health. I selected this topic because I know how much of a toll juggling college courses can have on many students. My blog will be a guide to everyday tips for managing mental health, specifically in college. It’s important to me to know how to keep my mind healthy, and I want this blog to help others accomplish that as well. This blog will include tips on how to better your mental health, specifically in college.
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Avoiding Alcohol and Drugs
When in college, drugs and alcohol are usually made readily available to you. Between parties, and the mix of older individuals, it isn’t particularly hard to get your hands on drugs and alcohol. Many people consider using drugs and drinking as their ticket to a good time. Others may want to drink and use drugs because it can make you feel good, and make you forget about the symptoms of mental illness.
According to rethink.org, many people with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses turn to alcohol and drugs as a form of self medication. However, it is never a good idea to take drugs that aren’t prescribed to you, and the mix of alcohol with mental illness can lead to addiction. Drugs and alcohol are addicting substances to all individuals, especially those suffering with mental health issues.
In fact, drugs and alcohol worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety. The use of drugs and consumption of alcohol can even lead some people to develop mental health disorders they didn’t have before. These are all reason to avoid drugs and alcohol in college. There are ways to avoid these substances, and there are other ways to have fun and to cope with mental illness.
Some college students may feel pressure to try drugs and alcohol because that’s what all their friends are doing. It’s important to realize though that a real friend would never pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do. Try to surround yourself with people who aren’t interested in drugs and alcohol, and know how to have fun without them.
While it’s best to avoid the party scene when attempting to avoid such substances, that doesn’t mean that you do other fun activities with your friends. In fact, It’s a good idea to spend time with friends when focusing on your mental health because it can help you not feel so alone. Some of these activities can even be ones that will help better your mental health such as
Sports and outdoor activities
Making healthy meals together
Joining clubs and extracurriculars
Trying a new restaurant
Taking time to have meaningful conversations with friends
Essentially, it is a smart idea to stay clear of addictive substances when attempting to better your mental health. If you feel that medication is required for you to better your symptoms, always talk to a professional instead of attempting to self medicate. The use of drugs and alcohol will only worsen your mind health, not improve it.
Here is a link to resources if you are struggling with drug abuse and your state of mind
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help
sources: https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/about-mental-illness/learn-more-about-conditions/drugs-alcohol-and-mental-health/
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brmsonline.com%2Fblog%2Fwellness%2F2019%2Fdrug-alcohol-facts&psig=AOvVaw3MN06Rk3eh6LSvQotmX3dc&ust=1650345451530000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCMCS1IbunPcCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
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Sleeping Habits Influence Mental Health
“70-95 percent of college students get less than eight hours of sleep each night” (harvard.edu, “Why You Should Make a Good Nights Sleep a Priority”). A common issue among college students is a lack of sleep. You can get pretty busy in college, and all college students are probably guilty of staying up late to finish a project from time to time. However, sleep is a very important component of health, especially for those suffering from mental illnesses.
A good nights sleep is an important factor in your mental health, Not getting enough sleep at night can leave our mind feeling foggy in the morning. This can lead to letting those depressive thoughts sink in. According to an article published by Eric Suni, “Mental Health and Sleep”, sleep and mental health disorders are very closely linked. People who suffer from mental health disorders are likely to either not sleep enough or sleep too much.
For example. people who struggle with depression are most likely to sleep more during the day, while people with anxiety are likely to not get enough sleep at night (Suni). If you’re a college in student who is struggling with your mental health, you are no doubt having issues with your sleep schedule.
Better sleep is a well known natural remedy to bettering mental health. Tips to better sleep can include:
Giving yourself a bedtime and a rise time
Getting rid of all distractions before bed. (example: electronics, cell phones, lights)
Not eating for two hours before bed, especially foods high in sugar.
Using relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation
Another way to ensure your getting enough sleep is to avoid procrastination on assignments. When your feeling the symptoms of mental illness, it can be hard to find the motivation to get busy, but it’s important to keep in mind that procrastination can take away from sleep. Procrastination can lead to having to stay up later to meet deadlines on projects, which takes away from hours we could be sleeping. Thus, avoiding procrastination can help in bettering your mental health,
A lack of sleep can also be a contributor to stress. When our minds are not well rested it’s easier to get stressed out and overwhelmed. Exposing our minds to long period of stress can not only worsen symptoms of mental health illnesses, but it also increases the risk of developing new disorders such as anxiety and insomnia.
Here are some links with tips to bettering your sleeping habits
https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-fall-asleep
sources: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health
https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/why-you-should-make-a-good-nights-sleep-a-priority/#:~:text=Establishing%20a%20sleep%20schedule%20and,you%20will%20sleep%20at%20night.
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Healthy Eating For a Healthy Mind
The way to achieve a healthy mind is to first achieve a healthy body. Many college students, especially first year students, struggle with eating habits. Your first year of college is usually a time where students don’t know how to feed themselves, and don’t understand the importance of healthy eating.
According to an article published by Sutter Health, Eating Well for Mental Health, poor eating choices can actually worsen depression and anxiety. Many people feel enticed to go for unhealthy, processed meals in college because it’s easy and accessible. Except, these are the types of foods to avoid when your feeling depressed and anxious.
Eating healthy may seem difficult to do in college, but there are plenty of ways to maintain a healthy diet in a dorm room. While it may not be attainable to make meal like salmon and chicken, even easy meals such as oatmeal and cereal can be a healthier option than bagged chips.
Eating lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and protein foods such as eggs are a simple way to feed your body in a healthy way. Keeping only healthy snacks in your dorm room or house is a way to ensure that you won’t be tempted to eat a bag of chips while studying.
It is also important to make sure your eating the right amount of food during the day. It’s easy for students to get busy, and forget to eat whole meals throughout the day. In contrast, during periods of depression, many people turn to food to comfort. These things can lead to unhealthy weight lose and weight gain.
A good habit to go into when in college is to eat with friends and family, and to hold yourself accountable when making sure you’re eating the right amount of food. Healthy food provides our minds with a clear sense of our mood, and can prevent symptoms of mental illness from progressing.
sources: https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/nutrition/eating-well-for-mental-health#:~:text=A%20healthy%2C%20well%2Dbalanced%20diet,can%20slow%20down%20reaction%20time.
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Exercise for Mental Health
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It’s no secret that a big part of why college students struggle so much with their mental health is because of high stress levels. According to an article published by Katharina Star, The Mental Health Benefits of Physical Exercise, there are numerous benefits of exercise for the mind.
Exercise has been proven to improve several mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and even ADHD. These are common mental health illnesses seen in college students. If your a college student that finds yourself struggling with these issues, it is definitely a good idea to make physical exercise a part of your everyday routine.
While it is always a good idea to get your body moving in any way possible, different types of exercise can help with different areas you’re struggling with. For example, if you find that stress is a contributing factor to your mental health, yoga may be the thing to try. Yoga is proven the stress response in our bodies, and give you a better sense of well being.
According to the same article published by Star, another great way to reduce stress and lower depression is to get in your cardio. Cardio can include running, cycling, and even dancing. Many colleges also have sports teams that include a great deal of cardio, so you may want to consider joining a sports team. That would be a great way to get involved in your school, all while bettering your mental health.
Overall, any type of physical exercise is a step in the right direction when it comes to bettering your mental health. Whether it be something moderate or invigorating, physical activity will give your mind a better sense of well being. Getting active is an important step towards bettering your mental health and is something college students should try to include in their everyday life.
I’ve included some links to websites that can steer you towards the right direction. These links include starter tips for yoga, and cardio work outs.
https://www.fountainhead.com.au/7-yoga-poses-for-stress-relief
https://moodactive.org.au/exercise/cardio-to-improve-your-mental-health/#:~:text=Cardio%20has%20many%20great%20benefits,reduce%20your%20stress%20and%20anxiety.
https://www.verywellfit.com/exercise-for-beginners-cardio-exercise-1229578
sources: https://www.verywellmind.com/meditation-4157199
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