7 Common Health Issues Faced by Students
Students often struggle with maintaining good health. Such challenges can arise from stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, and lack of exercise. Yet, such health challenges can also impact their academic and personal lives. Students need to take care of their physical and mental health by developing healthy habits, seeking help when needed, and staying informed about common health issues. This is why young students and their families should learn about the top common health issues faced by students. Learning about those issues and prioritizing health is essential for building a bright future and a fulfilling life.
Depression
Depression is a common mental health disorder among students that can profoundly impact their academic performance and personal lives. For example, people with depression often feel unexplained sadness, apathy, hopelessness, and loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities. Depression can even affect physical health, resulting in such symptoms as fatigue, insomnia, and changes in appetite.
Students with depression are most likely to suffer from other mental health issues. They may experience struggles in school, develop addictions, or drop out. Yet, young people are less likely to recognize depression in its early forms or develop healthy coping mechanisms.
It’s important for students who are experiencing symptoms of depression to seek help from a mental health professional who can provide treatment options such as therapy and medication.
Chronic Stress and Anxiety
Many students suffer from stress and anxiety. Of course, these conditions are natural responses to challenging situations presented by school and independent living. Yet, many students tend to live under chronic stress and anxiety, which affects their school progress as well as their mental and physical health. For instance, such conditions can disrupt sleep patterns, increase or decrease appetite, affect digestive and heart work, weaken the immune system, and lead to depression or other mental health concerns.
Students should learn to prioritize self-care, which means getting enough sleep and balancing pastimes with enjoyable hobbies and socialization. Such activities will help reduce stress and improve their overall well-being. If these strategies are not effective, seeking professional help from a mental health provider is recommended.
Poor Diet and Eating Habits
Many students struggle with maintaining a healthy diet. They often resort to sugary drinks, processed snacks, and fast food due to a lack of cooking skills or time. Yet, such eating habits should become the norm. A poor diet can lead to malnutrition, obesity, or other health problems. It affects young people’s physical and mental health, making them more vulnerable to diseases, depression, and lower academic performance.
Students need to learn how to make healthy food choices and develop good eating habits. Otherwise, they risk developing chronic health issues while suffering from a lack of energy, abnormal relationships with food, mood swings, and self-esteem issues. In addition, a healthy, balanced diet should help students enhance brain work, focus, energy levels, and motivation.
Substance Abuse
Unfortunately, drug and alcohol abuse are major health concerns among students. Young people are exposed to a whole new lifestyle with serious temptations. On top of that, students may experience loneliness, homesickness, or pressure in school. Hence, they seek help with alcohol or recreational drugs.
Substance abuse can lead to addiction, a drop in academic performance, and health problems, including mental health disorders. Students need to recognize the given issue and seek help from friends and professionals.
Eye Strain
Eye strain is a common health issue many students experience, particularly those who spend long hours studying or working on a computer. It occurs when the eyes get tired from staring at a screen or book for an extended period. Symptoms of eye strain include headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and neck and shoulder pain. It can also contribute to trouble with sleep and stress.
Many factors make students most vulnerable to such a health issue. For instance, factors that cause eye strain include long exposure to blue light (i.e., mobile devices and screens), poor lighting, bad posture, and improper distance from the screen.
Fortunately, frequent breaks, proper working setup, appropriate lighting, and a healthy diet should minimize risks for students’ eyesight.
Infectious diseases
Infectious diseases are another highly common health issue that can affect students. Infectious diseases can easily spread in closed indoor environments, such as school settings and campuses. The diseases spread from person to person by air or contaminated surfaces. It also affects people with weaker immune systems and those who experience stress, lack of sleep, and maintain poor diets the most.
That’s why it is essential to stay home when feeling like coming down with a cold or flu. Such actions may prevent the spread of the disease around the school. Students can always contact professional writers to help with homework and have enough rest at home. A simple message like, “Can you, please, write my paper for me cheap?” A reliable service will save students from a lot of trouble.
