by Peggy Spencer
Daily Lobo columnist
It's the end of the semester - time to cram for exams, crank out papers, tank up on caffeine, stay up all night and eat junk food, right? I've been there and done that when I was a student. I know that expecting students to put their health first at this time of year is like expecting the sun to rise in the south - ain't gonna happen.
That said, there are a few simple things you can do to minimize the damage you are doubtlessly inflicting upon yourself during these hectic and stressful days. These are variations on the usual health advice about eating, sleeping and exercise, adapted for end-of-semester use.
First, eating. Who has time right now to fix home-cooked meals from fresh ingredients and whole grains? Nobody, right? And what if La Posada and the SUB aren't open when you get that gnawing feeling and realize you've been studying for five hours with no sustenance? You are likely to zip over to the closest fast-food place and grab something greasy that leaves you with a bellyache. Or, you may find a vending machine and get candy, which gives you a sugar rush followed by a sugar crash. Don't do it. Try this instead: Carry a baggy of nuts and dried fruits with you. You can get trail mix premade, or you can make your own. Try peanuts, raisins, almonds or dried cranberries - whatever you like. Try to eat at least two real meals a day with protein in them - not that leftover thing of undetermined age and origin in the back of the fridge. Between meals, snack on the nuts and fruits. You'll find your energy level stays more even with no bellyaches or sugar crashes.
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Next, drinking. This time of year people tend to overdo the caffeine and underdo the water. Caffeine is not inherently evil, but too much can upset your stomach, and a pot of coffee cannot substitute for a night of sleep. Try to keep it under three cups or three sodas a day. Carry a water bottle with you, and drink often. Refill at a drinking fountain several times a day. All of our body tissues need water to function properly. Think of it as watering your brain.
Third, sleeping. This is a big one. I know you aren't getting your eight hours a night of uninterrupted sleep. But do try to do most of your sleeping in a chunk of time between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Otherwise, your body's biorhythm gets out of whack and mixes up night for day, which is really exhausting. The other recommendation I have is to take power naps. Just 10 or 20 minutes - or even putting your head down on your desk - can recharge your system remarkably well. When you're done, have a good stretch.
Next, exercise. Stop snorting and rolling your eyes and hear me out. I'm not suggesting you start a new exercise program or spend a half hour a day on the treadmill. If you do have time for this, more power to you. But for the rest of you, all I'm asking is you get up and move every couple of hours. If you've been sitting in the library, take a walking lap around the stacks or up and down a couple flights of stairs. If you're at home, go once around the block. Be smart and safe about this, of course - don't do it alone at 2 a.m. Remember, you should be asleep then anyway. And if you're not, take a stretch break, do some jumping jacks or walk around the house. Your body will stay more comfortable if you move it every so often, and your brain functions better when it gets some of that blood that has been settling in your butt and feet.
Eye strain is common now, too. Every time you finish a page, look up from your work and focus on something far away, then something midrange, then roll your eyes around. This will relieve the muscles that hold your eyes in focus and help prevent strain.
Finally, take a multivitamin and a B-complex vitamin. The multivitamin will ensure that you get the minimum, and the B-complex helps with stress. Also, take breaks. Give your brain a rest with a movie, a chat with a friend or a chapter of a novel.
Most of you are young and resilient, but even the young and resilient can take only so much. Eventually, the body wisdom signals revolt, and your immune system goes on strike. The troops retire to the barracks to play cards, leaving the gates unguarded, and guess what happens? Now you're sick on top of being exhausted. If you follow the steps above, you might be able to avoid the germ invasion, stay more alert and energized and finish the semester in style. Good luck.
Peggy Spencer has been a UNM Student Health physician for 16 years. E-mail your questions to her directly at Pspencer@unm.edu. All questions will be considered, and all questioners will remain anonymous. This column has general health information only and cannot replace a visit to a
health provider.
