It's finals time. What are you doing reading the paper? Shouldn't you be studying? Drop this rag, go buy a candy bar and hit the library.
No, wait. I'm not serious. It's a good thing you're taking some time to relax. I know these days and nights are mostly filled with cramming for exams, cranking out papers and tanking up on caffeine and junk food. Right? And then you wonder why you get sick. It's no surprise, but it might not have to happen.
I know it would be asking a lot to request you put your health first at this time of year. But there are a few simple things you can do to minimize the damage you are doubtlessly inflicting upon yourself. These are variations on the usual health advice about eating, sleeping and exercise, adapted for end-of-semester use.
Eating. Who has time right now to be fixing home-cooked meals from fresh ingredients and whole grains? Nobody, right? And what if LaPo 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 might be tempted to zip over to the closest fast-food place and grab something greasy that leaves you with a bellyache. Or you might find a machine and get candy which gives you a sugar rush followed by a crash. Don't do it. Try this instead: Eat at least two real meals a day with protein in them. Between times, carry a bag of nuts and dried fruits with you. You can get trail mix pre-made, or you can make your own. Peanuts, raisins, almonds and dried cranberries - grab whatever sounds good to you. If you snack on this, you'll find your energy level stays more even with no bellyaches or sugar crashes.
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 to less than three cups or three sodas a day. Carry a water bottle with you, and refill it 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, like watering a plant.
Sleeping. This is a big one. I know you aren't getting the recommended eight hours a night of uninterrupted sleep, but 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. If you get tired during the day, take power naps. Just 10 to 20 minutes - even with your head down on your desk - can recharge your system remarkably well. When you're done, have a good stretch.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Exercise. I'm not suggesting you start a new exercise program or spend an hour a day on the treadmill. All I'm asking is that you get up and move every couple of hours. If you're 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, i.e., don't do it alone at 2 a.m. Or stay inside, take a stretch break, do some jumping jacks and 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.
Eyestrain is common now, too. To minimize that, try this: Every time you finish a page, look up from your work and focus on something far away, then something mid-range, then roll your eyes around. This will relieve the muscles that hold your eyes in focus and help prevent strain.
Extras. Take a multivitamin and a B-complex vitamin. The multivitamin will ensure that you get the minimum, and the B complex helps with stress. And take breaks from studying. Give your brain a rest with a movie, a chat with a friend or a chapter of a novel. Even a short break can really refresh you.
Many of you are young and resilient, but even the young and resilient can only take so much. Eventually the body 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 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, M.D., is a board-certified family physician. She has been a UNM Student Health physician for 17 years and a Daily Lobo contributing columnist for three years. She is co-author of the book 50 Ways to Leave Your 40s. Drop your questions in her box in the lobby of Student Health and Counseling, or e-mail 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.
