What do you know about sexual health? Many college students are sexually active during their time at school, and often the topic of sexual health can be difficult to talk about. Over 50% of new STI cases occur in 15-24 year old’s, which puts sexually active college students at risk. Improve your knowledge and your sexual health by using these resources from Health Promotion & Wellness and University Health Services:
All posts by Nicole Cruz
Sleep, What’s It Good For?
Sleeping the recommended 7-9 hours every night can improve your health in ways you may not have ever realized. According to neuroscientist, Matt Walker, sleep is a crucial part of health, affecting not only your immune system but also emotions and memory. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep on most nights will help build a strong immune system. With a stronger immune system, you can better fight diseases and ultimately live a healthier life.
Learn more about sleep’s impact on health by watching an episode of Sleeping with Science by Matt Walker.
Wellness Activities, Events & Services
Health Promotion and Wellness offers many activities, services and events for you to participate in and be your best self. Join us for Well-being Wednesdays, Yoga and Meditation classes, Mindful Making and much more! You can also sign up for one-on-one peer education services in any of the following topics: sleep, stress, nutrition, physical activity and healthy relationships. Check out the link to learn more!
Prioritizing Mental Health
Prioritizing mental health is something that can be done to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Taking time for yourself, disconnecting from social media, and building a meaningful support system are just a few ways to prioritize mental health. Check out this helpful PDF from SAMHSA; a step-by-step guide to wellness to creating a healthier life.
Take Time for Meditation
Summer break is the perfect time to practice meditation. Meditation can create a range of mental and physical health benefits including stress and anxiety reduction, improvement in mood, increased focus and self-compassion, among many others. You can find guided meditations at calm.com, or check out the mindfulness tab on the Healthy Penn State website. If you want a research-based program, download the free the Healthy Minds Program app from the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin. The program will walk you through the four pillars (awareness, connection, insight, purpose) of the science of training the mind.
Science-based resources about COVID-19
If you are like the staff in Health Promotion and Wellness, you are looking for science-based information about COVID-19. There seems to be quite a bit of misinformation in the popular media, so we have compiled a short list of science-based resources from public health experts. You will find the number of local, national, and global confirmed cases on these sites. If you are looking for trustworthy, up-to-date news about coronavirus from medical, public health, and infectious disease experts view Johns Hopkins University & Medicine site and the free online course by Imperial College of London.
- Pennsylvania Department of Health https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/
- Johns Hopkins University & Medicine, https://coronavirus.jhu.edu
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
- World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
- Science Matters: Let’s Talk About COVID-19, a free course by Imperial College of London, one of the top public health research universities in the world
We wish you health and well-being!
What You Need to Know About Handwashing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d914EnpU4Fo&feature=youtu.be
Benefits of Getting Out in Nature
Many studies are finding that spending time in nature improves your fundamental health and well-being. Evidence supports the idea that nature provides a calmness that can reduce your blood pressure, improve your mood and decrease your anxiety.
Whether you take a stroll in a nearby park or venture into the woods, not only do you get a chance to exercise and enjoy the scenery, you may simultaneously restore your mental fatigue and increase your self-esteem. Being in nature can inspire your creativity.
