College Health

Contents

1. Before I go to college
2. Nutrition
3. Exercise
4. Sleep
5. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)

What do I need to do about my health before I go to college?

You may need to have a physical done by your primary care physician before you go off to college, since some colleges require them or you may schedule one at the SCSU Student Health Services at (320) 308-3193. Your clinician will make sure that your immunizations (shots and boosters) are all up-to-date. Talk to your doctor about the meningococcal vaccine to lessen your chance of getting the very serious infection. The vaccination is available at the SCSU Student Health Services for $73. Your clinician will also make sure that all of your medical records are complete. These records should include a list of all of the medications that you are taking, including its strength (how powerful it is) and its dosage (how much of it you should take). The records should also include a list of your allergies, any past medical problems (surgeries, hospital stays), and special needs (chronic health problems and disabilities). A record of any mental health problems and your family medical history should be included. You should take a copy of all of your records with you to college and keep it for yourself. Also, ask the staff at your primary care physician's office to mail a copy to the Student Health Service at your college (SCSU- Student Health Services, 720 4 th Avenue South, St. Cloud, MN. 56301.)

You also need to make sure you have health insurance before you go to school. If you will still be on your parent's health insurance at college, take a copy of the insurance card with you. You should find out what type of plan you are on (HMO, PPO, etc), what the policy covers (especially what is covered at your Student Health Service), how to file claims, and what to do if an emergency occurs. Discuss everything with your parents and clear up any questions that you have. You should remember that your parents will likely be notified every time that the insurance company is billed if you are on their policy. Check with them on what statements from the insurance company are sent. If you are not on your parents' insurance, check on special health insurance through your college (Heather Oehrlein at SCSU Student Health Services can assist you with questions (320) 308-4855).

You should also take extras of any prescription medications that you use. You may consider transferring your prescription to pick up at the SCSU Pharmacy. Please call the Pharmacist Gary at (320) 308-4852 to assist you with transferring your prescription.

Are there things that I can do to stay healthy?

Yes! You should be eating healthy, exercising, and getting plenty of rest.

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What should I know about nutrition and eating well?

Eating well is very important. You should eat a variety of healthy foods. You should try to eat foods that are baked, steamed, or grilled, rather than fried. Also, choose fresh foods like steamed vegetables and grilled chicken instead of fast food or processed foods like frozen dinners. Remember to watch the amount of salt that you consume. Limit the amount of junk food (candy, chips, soft drinks) that you eat, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables (at least 5 a day). Find good foods at late-night snack time, such as popcorn and veggies. You should drink enough non-caffeine fluids each day (8-10 8oz. glasses a day). Women should consume 3-4 servings of dairy products that are high in calcium (milk, yogurt) to keep their bones healthy. Taking a daily multivitamin may also assist you in staying healthy. If you are a vegetarian, make sure that you get all the nutrients that you need. Outside of Garvey Commons and the Food Court in Atwood Memorial Center there are brochures which list the various nutrient contents of the foods.

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What do I need to know about exercise?

Another important way to stay healthy and reduce stress is to get enough exercise. You should make sure that you do aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening, and stretching exercises. You should do aerobic exercise (biking, running, fast walking, swimming, and aerobics) 3-5 times a week, for 20-60 minutes. If you do it right, your heart should speed up and you should breathe faster. However, you should still be able to talk when you are doing aerobic exercise. Strengthening exercises (sit-ups, leg lifts, weight training, etc.) will build up your muscles and keep your bones healthy. Stretching exercises (yoga) will make you more flexible, so you will be less likely to strain a muscle. You can also get exercise by doing simple things, such as walking or riding a bike (with a helmet), instead of driving or taking the bus. SCSU has Eastman Fitness Center which has an aerobic studio, power pacing, treadmills, elliptical machines, bikes, free weights and also weight machines. Students may also utilize Halenbeck Fieldhouse which has a running/jogging track, racquetball courts, volleyball, basketball, badminton and tennis courts for FREE.

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What do I need to know about exercise?

There may be so much to do once you get to college that you find that you are not getting enough sleep. The average amount of sleep a person needs is 8 hours. However, you may need more or less. If you are not getting enough sleep, you may:

• feel more stressed or depressed.
• feel irritable and short tempered
• have a hard time staying awake in class.
• have trouble concentrating on papers and exams.
• catch lots of colds and other minor illnesses (because your body cannot fight off germs as well).

Try one or two of the following tips or a combination until you have enough quality sleep to feel alert and well rested. If these tips don't work, see your doctor. You could have a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea, that requires medical attention. The following excerpt was taken from www.mayoclinic.com.

1. Stick to a schedule, and don't sleep late on weekends. If you sleep late on Saturday and Sunday morning, you'll get Sunday night insomnia. Instead, go to bed and get up at about the same time every day.
   
   "You don't need to rely on an alarm clock to wake up when you get enough sleep," says Dr. Shepard.
   
2. Don't eat or drink a lot before bedtime. Eat a light dinner about two hours before sleeping. If you drink too much liquid before sleeping, you'll wake up repeatedly in the night for trips to the bathroom.
   
   Don't eat spicy or fatty foods. They can cause heartburn, which may interfere with your sleep.
   
   If you get the bedtime munchies, eat something that triggers serotonin, which makes you sleepy. Carbohydrates (bread or cereal) or foods containing the amino acid L-tryptophan (milk, tuna, or turkey) will do the trick.
   
   Don't drink alcohol near bedtime. It may cause you to wake up repeatedly, to snore, and it may exacerbate sleep apnea.
   
3. Avoid caffeine and nicotine. They're addictive stimulants and keep you awake. Smokers often experience withdrawal symptoms at night, and smoking in bed can be dangerous. Caffeine should be avoided for eight hours before your desired bedtime.
   
4. Exercise. If you're trying to sleep better, the best time to exercise is in the afternoon. A program of regular physical activity enhances the quality of nocturnal sleep.
   
5. A slightly cool room is ideal for sleeping. This mimics your internal temperature drop during sleep, so turn off the heat and save on fuel bills.
   
   If you tend to get cold, use blankets. Try sleeping in warmer nightclothes and wear socks.
   
   If you overheat at night, wear light nightclothes and sleep under a single sheet. Use an air conditioner or fan to keep the room cool.
   
   Use a dehumidifier if you're bothered by moist air. Use a humidifier if you're bothered by dry air. Signs and symptoms of dry air irritation include a sore throat, nosebleeds and a dry throat.
   
6. Sleep primarily at night. Daytime naps steal hours from nighttime slumber. Limit daytime sleep to less than one hour, no later than 3 p.m.
   
   If you work nights, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight, which interferes with the body's internal clock, doesn't interrupt your sleep.
   
   If you have a day job and sleep at night, but you still have trouble waking up, leave the window coverings open and let the sunlight wake you up.
   
7. Keep it quiet. Silence is more conducive to sleep. Turn off the radio and TV. Use earplugs or a fan or some other source of constant, soothing, background noise to mask sounds you can't control, such as a busy street, trains, airplanes or even a snoring partner. Double-pane windows and heavy curtains also muffle outside noise.
   
8. Make your bed. "A good bed is subjective and different for each person. Make sure you have a bed that is comfortable and offers orthopedic comfort," says Dr. Shepard.
   
   If you share your bed, make sure there's enough room for two. Children and pets are often disruptive, so you may need to set limits on how often they sleep in your bed with you.
   
   Use your bed only for sleep and not studying.
   
   Go to bed when you're tired and turn out the lights. If you don't fall asleep in 30 minutes, get up and do something else. Go back to bed when you're tired.
   
9. Soak and sack out. Taking a hot shower or bath before bed helps bring on sleep because they can relax tense muscles.
   
10. Don't rely on sleeping pills. Check with your doctor before using sleeping pills. Doctors generally recommend using sleeping pills for up to four weeks. Make sure the pills won't interact with other medications or with an existing medical condition.

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Another Health Concern for College Students is RSI:

A specific type of serious strain injury is called Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). Repetitive strain injury includes all kinds of injuries, caused by doing the same movement continuously, to the muscles, nerves, and tendons of your arms and shoulders. You may have heard of bursitis, tendonitis, or carpal tunnel syndrome. People that use computers a lot, for long periods of time without breaks, can get repetitive strain injury. To help prevent getting repetitive strain injury, your monitor should not be positioned too close or too high. You should take lots of breaks, use a light touch on the keyboard, sit up straight, and keep your wrists straight and level. You should have an extender for your keyboard, so that your wrists rest lightly on it when you are typing. Your chair and keyboard should be set so that your forearms and thighs are parallel with the floor. If you feel like to have to reach for the keyboard, or if your position feels awkward, you need to change your position. Even being in a "perfect" position may cause problems if you stay in the same rigid position for too long.

If you feel:

• tightness or soreness in your hands, wrists, fingers, forearms, or elbows
• tingling or numbness in the hands
• clumsiness or loss of strength and coordination in the hands

If you experience these symptoms go to the SCSU Student Health Services and get checked out!

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