Exercise and Mental Wellbeing: a guide to keeping healthy at Uni
by Nicola Risi
Student life can be exhausting, intense, demanding… but also a lot of fun.
At the risk of sounding like your elders back home, ‘some of the best years of your life are happening right now.’ But to really enjoy them and make great memories at Bailrigg student living, you’ll want to feel your best both physically and mentally. Not only to cope with the late nights (studying or partying, or both!) but to also manage an enhanced social life. In your Lancaster Student accommodation, you’ll be meeting new people, and integrating into new social and academic circles. This can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve not left your hometown before now.
Staying fit and healthy is accessible and achievable for all of us. Even for Lancaster housing students who spend a bulk of their time in their dorm.
So, to keep your physical, mental and emotional health. Where do we start?
Exercise
A pretty obvious one here. But really, exercise - little and often - will be your saviour during your time at University. Not just for keeping your physical health in check, but for your mental health too. Exercise is a holistic example of how you reduce all manner of health problems before they arise. We’re not saying it’s the magic cure for everything, but managing physical and mental health can start with a gentle exercise routine. It’s all about feeling somewhat at home in your Lancaster student accommodation and taking that piece of mind to get away from it all.
Getting your heart rate up at least twice a week can help to promote better sleep, gain mental clarity and reduce the risk of mental illness such as depression and anxiety.
Don’t be put off the idea thinking you need to max out your credit card on a Peloton or expensive gym membership. Simply taking a brisk walk, or cycling to lectures instead of taking the bus can be enough to help set you off in the right direction.
You don’t even need to leave your room, Youtube is free and readily accessible from your room in student accommodation, and offers a wealth of exercise routines for free, from mindful yoga, to sweaty and intense HIIT cardio. So why not grab a flatmate and make the most of your Lancaster student accommodation by making friends and working out together. It may give you the motivation that you need.
Let’s not forget the immunity benefits promoted by exercise. In the cold winter months, a regular exercise routine and a physically fit body will be better equipped to stave off common colds and flu.
Exercise as medicine
The relationship between exercise and health is talked about a lot in health and academic circles. Referred to by some as a ‘medicine’, it is even prescribed by doctors for a host of chronic conditions. Helping to reduce stress symptoms, improve mood, maintain a healthy weight and defend against many diseases and conditions, it’s no wonder.
If you’re new to a fitness routine, start slowly and carefully to reduce the risk of injury. Like anything, the first few times will be the most challenging, but as time goes on, you’ll find yourself craving the rush and the endorphins that follow your chosen exercise routine. And you’ll generally ‘feel better’ on the whole. By weaving exercise naturally into your daily routine, it won’t seem like a chore. After some time, it will become a habit - a habit that is hard to break.
Lancaster sporting facilities
Lancaster recently made a huge investment into health and fitness programmes and last year opened a multi-million-pound sports centre opened on campus. The sports centre includes an Olympic sized swimming pool, climbing walls, a mega gym and running a variety of classes including Zumba and Spinning! Only a short bus ride from your Lancaster student accommodation so why not give it a try? It’s also a fantastic environment for meeting new people.
