Stay Healthy as a University Commuter

University commuters live hectic lifestyles that involve dashing from place to place, meeting person after person, completing task upon task and trying not to forget anything along the way. Staying in tip top shape is imperative for active university commuters who are often too rushed to eat properly, exercise appropriately, relax as required and/or sleep well at night. Staying healthy as a university commuter can be difficult, but it shouldn’t be impossible with the right planning and preparation.

Eating Properly

University commuters often rush out the door in the morning without fortifying themselves for the day and then proceed through their activities without eating properly later on either. Commuting students must prepare for their schedules by planning out not only their snacks and meals, but when and where they will eat them as well. Carrying food with them is a common solution for university commuters. Eating properly on the run may include:

• A muffin, bagel or cereal bar with fruit during the morning commute
• A soup and salad, or baked potato with topping from the canteen at lunchtime
• A sandwich and vegetable sticks on the university yard in the afternoon
• A piece of fruit or carrot sticks for the journey home

Exercising Appropriately

As little as thirty minutes of brisk walking per day can keep university commuters in good shape. Unfortunately hectic schedules and long commutes can make regular exercise seem like an impossible dream, but there are a variety of ways that commuters sneak in exercise when needed. Consider:

• Walking or biking to university
• Joining the university fitness centre and taking a few exercise classes
• Trying out for a university sports team
• Organising informal team games or tournaments with other students
• Taking a stroll during lunch hour or between classes
• Running errands, by foot or by bike, in town before heading home for the day

Relaxing as Required

An important part of staying healthy is keeping stress levels low and being able to relax as required. Many university commuters worry that they should be working at all times to make up for the time “wasted” during their travels, but this is hardly the case. If the only time a student has to relax is during a commute, then they should use it wisely. Possibilities for relaxing as required include:

• Reading a fictional novel
• Flipping through a magazine
• Listening to soothing music
• Listening to a book or poetry read aloud
• Meditating
• Completing small tasks during their commute and taking a long bath or nap when they arrive home

Sleeping Well at Night

Experts recommend 8 good hours of sleep per night, but many commuters will laugh at this recommended minimum. If fitting in a full 8 hours of sleep is impossible then commuters must make the most of what their limited time by:

• Sleeping in a cool, dark environment
• Finishing work at least a half an hour before attempting to sleep
• Limiting caffeine for several hours before lying down for the night
• Quitting exercise for several hours before shutting their eyes
• Engaging in some gentle yoga or stretching before getting into bed
• Taking a warm bath or sipping a warm drink before turning in

Staying healthy as a university commuter can be difficult due to hectic schedules and frequent travel. Eating properly, exercising appropriately, relaxing as required and sleeping well are all imperative to the health, happiness and ultimate success of commuting students.