Staying healthy at college is important for all students. Health can impact all facets of our lives, from sleep to what we eat all the way to if we are active and how we learn. Making positive choices can be easy as long as we have some guidelines. 

Sleep is important. If we do not get enough sleep, research has shown that it can influence our driving and also our ability to focus and learn. It is recommended that college students need 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

• How we fuel our bodies can either have a positive or negative effect on our energy levels, our mood and even our focus and ability to learn. Missouri State University has many healthy food options on campus from the dining centers to some of the student union options like Subway.
• Activity is another important aspect of staying healthy. We all know how exercise delivers more oxygen to the brain, which directly impacts the development of the brain as well as behavior. Foster Recreation Center is a state of the art facility that can help our students move more.

Another great way for students to stay healthy is to get involved with various wellness activities on campus. Each month, student wellness sends out an email with upcoming wellness activities and events. Here are some upcoming wellness events that your student can participate in:

• Wellness Wednesdays, every Wednesday there is an information table at the Taylor Health and Wellness Center that has information and activities for students.
• December is busy with helping students relax and get ready for finals with our Stress Relief Week with meditation sessions (12/2 & 12/4), candlelight yoga (12/3) and free massage on study day (12/5).

Engaging with student wellness is an easy and great way for students to be involved and to help them stay healthy while at Missouri State University.

For more information, visit the Taylor Health & Wellness website.