Top 5 Health Issues Students Face and How to Deal with Those

Being physical and mentally healthy allows a student to perform optimally in their academics. However, when most students get to school, they forget about a healthy lifestyle and instead focus on working hard and attaining good grades. The need to perform well in class has become so paramount that students end up getting depressed, especially if they don’t achieve their goals.

Financial worries, fewer job prospects, and failed relationships further increase the risks of getting depressed. Having a persistent feeling of sadness is not the only health issue that interferes with learning. Listed below are the top 5 health challenges that impact student’s school success.

Poor Diet

Our bodies require a specific amount of nutrients to function at optimal levels. For learners, the foods they eat plays a major role in brain function. A healthy diet boosts cognitive abilities and energy levels, improves memory and learning, encourages alertness and effectiveness of the brain to process more information.

On the other hand, poor diet results in dental caries, obesity and makes a kid susceptible to various illnesses, which in turn results in absenteeism. To have better academic performance and increase attendance, students should make better food choices and focus on healthy eating.

Asthma

Nowadays, high school students who are feeling unwell, and even those in college can ask for assistance from the best essay writing service. However, when an asthma attack happens during the day and night, it affects academic progress because the individual will be unable to attend classes, study, or even complete any homework.

Parents may even be afraid of sending their kids to school because they might be exposed to an environment that triggers asthma symptoms. Since there is no cure for asthma, some of the steps to take to prevent an attack include:

• Identifying asthma triggers and take the necessary steps to avoid them;
• Opt for allergy shots to keep asthma under control;
• Carry your inhaler or medication wherever you go;
• If you get an asthma attack, stay calm to make breathing easier, and drink a hot beverage to open the airwaves.

Stress

Stress doesn’t just affect your school performance but also your health as it increases the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases, obesity, ulcers, acne, and mental health problems. While it’s hard to avoid stress, how you handle it prevents overload and the consequences that come with it. Symptoms of anxiety include low self-esteem, headaches, insomnia, low energy, which results in procrastinating and feeling overwhelmed.

Most of these symptoms will directly affect your school life. Hence it’s best to have a coping mechanism that will make it easier for you to manage stress. Having a positive attitude, practicing relaxation techniques, doing physical activities, eating balanced meals, and avoiding compulsive behaviors are some of the ways students can reduce stress.

The Flu

Influenza, which tends to last for five to seven days, is caused by a respiratory virus. When accompanied by symptoms such as fever, sore throat, headache, and body aches, it makes a student stay at home and miss classes. Recent studies show that approximately 8% of the US population gets sick from flu strains A, B, or C. However, children aged 18 years and below are the most infected with influenza.

While the symptoms can subside as the immune fights the infection off, complications can lead to pneumonia. To reduce the risk of contracting the virus, get an annual flu vaccine, and practice frequent handwashing.

Inadequate Sleep

Do you often find yourself pulling an all-nighter when studying for upcoming exams? If your answer is yes, then you are increasing memory impairment. Long term sleep deprivation decrease brain function and increases the risk of academic failure and mental health problems. It may also cause weight gain, heart attack, hallucinations, stroke, depression, and mood swings.

Some of the common symptoms of sleep deprivation are irritability, fatigue, and frequent yawning. It also leaves you vulnerable to respiratory illnesses such as cold and flu. To combat sleep deprivation get between 8 to 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep, go to bed early, limit day time naps and avoid using the sleeping area for other activities like watching TV or using your phone.

When physical and mental health conditions are effectively identified and treated, then a student is more likely to fulfill their goals and potential in school. This is because good health status reduces absenteeism and enhances academic achievements. Thus, by identifying the health issues that interfered with learning, you can find effective methods to prevent them.