7 Common Health Issues Faced by Students
Dealing with health issues while in college is always challenging. Learn about the most common health issues among students to know how to prevent them. While managing health issues as a student, if you're also considering starting a side business, be sure to consult the best llc services to ensure a hassle-free set-up and operation.
Being a student comes with many challenges and responsibilities. For one, students need to learn to be independent and learn how to take care of themselves. It includes eating well, having a healthy routine, working, budgeting, having time for friends and family, etc. Meanwhile, they still need to study, organize their curriculum and excel in school. Combining all this hard work can be complex and drain students’ energy and immune system.
As a result, students are often prone to various health issues due to their busy school routines, close proximity, or compromised well-being. Let’s see the seven most common health issues students face in college. Learn these dangers to keep yourself and those around you safe.
2. Stress and Anxiety
College is full of stress and high pressure. Everybody knows that. However, what many people miss is that stress can be very bad for your health and overall well-being. Surviving in a stressful environment is yet another skill students must master during school.
Stress and anxiety can negatively affect one’s academic pursuits, social life, and mental and physical health. It often occurs due to academic pressure, future uncertainties, unrealistic goals, loneliness, etc. Chronic stress can also have long-term consequences on one’s health and academic ambitions.
Of course, navigating all the challenges of school and young adulthood can be difficult. Still, students can learn how to cope with stress in college and not let it ruin their lives. Learning self-care, prioritizing mental health, and focusing on the present more than the past or future should help reduce anxiety and stress levels.
3. Poor Nutrition
Students are notoriously bad eaters. They often prefer fast, simple, and high-calorie meals to healthy homemade meals. Of course, it is easy to explain by their busy schedules and, perhaps, lack of cooking skills or nutrition education. Still, diet plays a crucial factor in one’s health, which also involves students.
Bad eating habits can result in malnutrition, lack of energy, mood swings, anxiety, weakened immunity, and more. Students who don’t eat well for prolonged periods can also develop serious heart issues, weight loss or gain, skin problems, etc. Not to mention that a healthy diet can help you stay focused, energized, alert, and strong.
4. Lack of Physical Activity
Students have to endure long hours in classrooms and their study areas. They can spend their days sitting at their desks without engaging in any significant physical activity. Such a sedentary lifestyle is bad for young people on several different levels.
First, constant sitting and lack of exercise lead to weakened muscles, weight gain, decreased cardiac health, etc. Students may suffer from back, neck, and knee pain, poor posture, headaches, and more. Secondly, physical activity serves as a great antidepressant and stress release. The lack of such may affect students’ mental health alongside their physical one.
5. Mental Health Disorders
Stressful conditions and constant academic pressure create a fruitful environment for various mental health disorders. Students often feel lonely, isolated, and unsure of their future, contributing to different mental health issues, from eating disorders to depression and insomnia. These issues can significantly impact academic performance, relationships, and overall quality of life.
Campus counseling or therapy services should provide young people with the support and awareness essential for their well-being. Professional help and encouragement will allow students to overcome school challenges and manage their stress and other psychological challenges more effectively.
6. Infectious Diseases
Campuses, classrooms, and dormitories create perfect environments for infectious disease spreading. Students are constantly indoors and in close proximity to each other, which makes it an easy job for viruses to travel. That’s why students are so prone to be sick with a cold, flu, or other respiratory infections.
Fortunately, most of these diseases are easy to prevent, recognize and treat. Students must start with their personal hygiene, prioritizing frequent handwashing and using hand sanitizer in public. Those who feel the first cold symptoms should stay in bed, reduce public outings, cover their mouths while coughing or sneezing, etc.
Remember, it’s better to stay home, read some fresh essays reviews, and order papers online than working when sick and going to public places to study and research. Let the professionals do the work while you enjoy a few days of rest.
7. Eye Strain and Vision Problems
Students spend many hours reading, studying, and looking at their screens. Most of the daily activities they engage in require intense eye work. As a result, most students suffer from various vision problems, including eye strain, blurred vision, vision problems, dryness, and even headaches.
Such issues can reduce one's vision and affect their ability to study. Regular check-ups and correct diagnoses should help with monitoring and treating eye problems. However, the best solution can be giving your eyes a rest, for instance, by trusting essay writing website reviews and ordering homework online, studying with the right lighting conditions, and having enough sleep.
8. Substance Abuse
Finally, some students can’t resist the temptations of various substances while in college. They may look at alcohol or drugs as a form of self-medication and stress release or use them in social gatherings for fun. Yet, overdoing with various substances can lead to substance abuse and addiction. It will affect students’ judgment, cognitive abilities, life priorities, academic performance, and health.