12/3/2020 1 Comment Can't Sleep?Ever since the pandemic started, a lot of us have been staying at home to keep others safe. Since we are home, most of our work has been accomplished online, whether it's watching lectures, doing assignments, or watching Netflix. But did you know that you're being exposed to blue light? The blue light emitted from our devices, sunlight, and LED/fluorescent lighting can be both helpful and harmful. It's especially helpful during the daytime as it can help boost attention, reaction times, and mood. But since most folx have stayed up later since the pandemic, blue light exposure at night can harm us. Ever noticed how late night Netflix runs or spending hours gaming make you feel more awake? It's because of the blue light exposure! Because the light boosts attention you will feel more awake at night. Evening exposure can also reduce the quality of sleep you may get and can prolong the time it takes to fall asleep. So, when you wake up you may feel more tired.
Try limiting your blue light exposure at night by using some blue light filters! Blue light glasses or screen protectors can help. Your device may already have a built in feature that can filter out blue light! To filter more blue light, your screen would become more yellow or amber. Depending on your device, it may be called “warmth” or “strength.” The stronger the filter, the less blue light exposure there will be. Windows 10 Settings > search "Night Light" iOS [all devices] Settings > Displays > "Night Shift" or Tell Siri to turn Night Shift on/off Android Android OS vary! Check you settings in Displays to see if you have any filters. You may have to search "comfort view" or "blue light." If you don't think your device has one, check out the app Twilight Twilight This app in Android supported only. It allows users to adjust screen temperature (Energizing (Blue) to Relaxing (Amber-Red)), temperature intensity (transparency, essentially), and screen brightness (if your screen is already at its lowest brightness setting and it is still too bright, you can make it even darker!!) You can also try other methods besides filtering out blue light. Other ways can be having a consistent sleeping schedule (going to bed and waking up at the same hours every day, including weekends!) or creating a sleeping sanctuary (cold [60F-67F or 16C-20C], dark, and limited noise). Sleep is essential for human function and performance, and there are many ways to try to improve sleep. If you would like to learn more, go to tinyurl.com/sleep-OCHP or click the button below!
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1/10/2019 0 Comments Goal SettingWe know sticking to your goals can sometimes be hard but that is because we often set our goals way too high! Yes we want to achievable all the things but we are way more likely to reach it if we set small, attainable goals along the way!
10/16/2018 15 Comments Best apps to live wellNutrition AppsWARNING: 1: Forget calorie counters: Sometimes it’s useful to get an idea of around how much you’re eating, or have a general concept of what foods are higher or lower in calorie; but overall, I don’t recommend students “count” calories on a daily basis. Counting calories creates an idea that eating, in general (aka taking in calories), is bad…which is FALSE. We need calories to exercise, focus in class, and you know, EXIST?! 2. Forget gimmicky names: aka “skinny” brownies, “fat-burning” salad, or “detox” juice. These are lies. They’re trying to get you to click on their post. Eating one food or one particular recipe is not markedly improving anyone’s health or drastically change your weight in a way that’s maintainable or healthy. Check out our FAVORITE food app to help make planning your meals even easier! Nourishly Personalized meal, activity, mood and symptom trackers. You are multi-dimensional, and so should be your trusted tracker! Break free from stock-standard calorie counting with customizable and easy symptom, mood, thought, meal and activity tracking. Still not sure? Check out our Registered Dietitian's review of just how awesome it is! Bedtime appsOur top two favorite apps for getting a good night's rest are Sleep Cycle and Calm; one to help you fall asleep and one to help make sure you wake up feeling rested! Fitness appsThe best things about fitness apps, is you don't even need one! Almost all phones have built in health apps, Apple has the Health app, Google has Google fit, Samsung has S Health. All you have to do is be intentional about using the app and receive all the benefits. Remember when ti comes to physical activity all you need to do is move your body in a way that feels good. So take your phone for a walk and call your friend to connect or strap it to your arm and go for a run!
If you want to take it to the next level, invest in a smartwatch that can help you set goals and send you reminders when to move! 10/3/2018 30 Comments Taking the next stepWe know there are a lot to choose from but pick ONE STEP to focus on in ONE area! This will help you be more successful in actually accomplishing your goals! Once you feel confident in that step and it is easy for you to complete, then move onto another action item you can focus on!
4/9/2018 2 Comments Finals PrepOur biggest tip to help you thrive at the end of the semester, is to start breaking down everything you need to do for finals week and commit a couple hours a day to it. You will be so much more successful when exam time finally hit! As always we have healthy lifestyle advice that will make you feel like the rockstar you are! Study hard, snack harderEver catch yourself a few hours into studying reading the same line over and over again and not understanding what it means? It may be time to refuel! Give your brain the energy it needs to focus by eating balanced meals and snacks throughout the day—even when you’re studying. You may feel like you don’t have enough time to eat, but keeping your body energized can actually help you be more productive! Try our top balanced snacks:
It’s hard to eat consistently throughout the day when you don’t have a structured especially once summer gets here. This can lead us to under-eat during the day and over-eating at night. Break the cycle with these tips!
Stay activeEnd of the semester deadlines, final exams, and summer plans have your mind spinning? Added stress and changes to your normal routine can often mean disaster for maintaining those healthy movement habits. Here are some tips on how to stay active and healthy through finals and start summer strong.
1. Schedule it! If you find yourself skipping your normal movement routine, try scheduling “Move Time” into your daily calendar. When you schedule movement like an appointment, you will be less likely to skip it or fill that time with other things. 2. Give Yourself a Break Busy times call for changes in how you approach your normal movement routine. It's alright if you aren't able to fit in your normal fitness session, give yourself a break and "move" in a different way. Simply going for a walk is a great way to break up long study sessions, boost energy, and help you destress. 3. Turn Your Study Sessions into “Move” Challenges Make studying fun & active at the same time! When you are quizzing yourself, every time you get an answer wrong you have to do 5 __________ (insert favorite bodyweight movement, i.e. squats, jumping jacks, push ups, etc.) 3/27/2018 7 Comments Energy BoostLate night study sessions, early morning classes, long work hours, and endless responsibilities can leave us feeling drained of energy. Like most people, you may have a tendency to reach for that extra cup of coffee or energy drink to help get going again. While you may not be able to control your long days, you do have some control over your energy level, which you are probably making worse by what you are doing right now reading this article…SITTING! Did you know that habitual inactivity (sitting) might actually be making your fatigue worse? Moving more each day is one of the best ways to fight fatigue and boost energy. Start small by simply breaking up long periods of sitting by standing up every 30 minutes. If you have the time, take a quick 5-minute walk to get blood and oxygen flowing (energy booster!). Strive to accumulate at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day, which can be broken down into 3 10-minute bouts. Go ahead, try it and see how you feel! FOOD is your BEST energy source so try our THREE nutrition tips to feeling energized!
EAT throughout the day! Food is fuel. That feeling of hunger you get is your body’s way of asking for energy—honor it! Try alternating meals and snacks every few hours and see how you feel: what’s your mood like? How’s your ability to focus? Do you feel energized versus sluggish? Eating every few hours may help improve all of these areas. CHOOSE carb-filled foods. Your brain runs on carbs. If your meal pattern skips over carbs, you will not be a happy camper. Try fitting whole grains, fruits, veggies, low fat dairy, and plant based proteins into your meals and snacks to feel the benefits of carbs. Some examples may include carrots & hummus, trail mix with dried fruit, grapes & cheese, apple and peanut butter. REFUEL after your workouts. You’re trying to be a #HealthyOwl, so you incorporate movement into your schedule (or you’re thinking about doing so). Something we sometimes forget is that exercise uses energy, so if we don’t refuel what we’ve used during exercise, we can start to feel weak. Try having a post-workout snack followed by your typical balanced meal intake throughout the day to replenish your muscles energy stores. This will also make sure you have enough energy to go hard in the next day’s work out, as well. Post workout snacks can include (but are definitely not limited protein shakes, smoothies, berries and yogurt, cottage cheese and melon, etc.) 3/9/2018 0 Comments Get Outsideeat wellPractice eating mindfully: While you’re outside enjoying the beautiful scenery, that could be a great time to try mindful eating. Why should you try it? Mindful eating has been linked with stress relief and recognizing natural hunger and fullness cues, which help you eat the right amount for you. Interested? Follow these steps to eat mindfully: 1. Take a deep breath & put down or tune out distractions. 2. Observe your food with all your senses: how does it look? Smell? Feel? 3. Place a bite of food on your tongue. Is the texture changing? Is the taste what you expected? 4. After a few seconds, chew normally. Reflect: how does this differ from how you normally eat? Soak up that Vitamin D: You already know Vitamin D helps build strong bones, so head outside and soak it in (if you’re going to be out for a long time, don’t forget your sun screen!). You can also get vitamin D from milk, fortified orange juice, fish and mushrooms. Fuel your outdoor adventures: Looking for something that won’t go bad while you’re out in the hot sun? Grab some trail mix with dried fruit. Freeze some grapes ahead of time to keep you cool out in the sun. Don’t forget to drop some of your favorite berries or citrus fruits and ice into your water bottle to stay deliciously hydrated. move wellChallenge yourself with a Stadium run: Did you know that the FAU Football Stadium is open for use Mon – Thurs from 8am – 5pm? Embrace mother nature with a trail run/walk: Tortuga Trail is located right on campus and is great way to mix up your walk or run Join in one of Campus Recreation’s Outdoor Bootcamp Classes: These classes take place across from the Recreation & Fitness Center, next to the parking garage and stadium. Check out a current class schedule here, http://www.fau.edu/campusrec/fitness/group_fit_schedule.php Discover something new at the FAU Challenge Course: with free open climbing every Wednesday & Sunday, the rock climbing wall is a great way to challenge your body & mind Grab some friends and play tennis on the outdoor tennis courts: Gain both social and physical benefits with a friendly pick-up game of tennis Be wellTake time to unwind: If you have time between classes, spend it outside! With all of the new landscaping on campus, there are plenty of nooks that have shaded tables for you to sit and relax.
Power up: Take a 20 to 30 minute nap outside! Bring a hammock to tie up in Narnia or rent one from Campus Recreation. You can stop by Base Camp to check one out! www.fau.edu/campusrec/outdoor_adventures/index.php 2/26/2018 21 Comments Mid-Term PrepBring Snacks As a general guideline, eating something (snack or meal) every 3-5 hours can help you stay energized and focused so you can power through your studies without feeling tired and distracted. This means if you’re planning to camp in the library to study for mid-terms, you better bring your snack A-game. Set Timers Feel like you might get so wrapped up in studying you’ll forget to take snack breaks? Then it’s time for timers. Eat before you head to the library and set a timer for a few hours later to remind you to fuel up. Timers can also be helpful to remind you to get up every hour and move around for AT LEAST 5 minutes. Movement helps improve memory retention, concentration, and your ability to think creatively which are important for long study sessions. When you notice your focus and concentration starting to waiver that is your body telling you it is time to MOVE! DO NOT DISTURB Phones are SUPER distracting. One minute you are looking at it to check the time and then 6 hours later you have been sucked into the social media vortex. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb and only look at it when your reminder goes off to take a break. Think you might still be tempted? Put it in your bag and out of sight. Stick To A Routine Our bodies thrive on routine so it is important to keep to your regular reschedule as much as possible while prepping for exams. This means NO ALL-NIGHTERS, making time for exercise, meal prepping, and any other staple activities that you have planned. Before you take your exam....
Move Moving helps to improve circulation of blood and oxygen which impacts your brains ability to function properly. Instead of sitting down to cram those last few minutes before your exam, spend 5 – 10 minutes moving (i.e. walking) to help improve your ability to concentrate and think clearly for your exam. Eat Imagine you’ve done all your studying and you feel confident, the way to make sure you’re on top of your game at test time is to make sure you’re feeling satisfied and energized. I know it’s hard when you’re trying to get to the exam on time and get some last minute studying in, but if you’re hungry during the test, your empty stomach might be what you wind up focusing on and not the test! #HealthyOwls Nourish to Flourish! Rest We know that you want to capitalize on every second you have when it comes to prepping for your test, but let's be honest, in those last 10 minutes before an exam, you most likely aren't going to learn or retain anything you already didn't know. Take those last few minutes to try out some relaxation techniques, settle your heart rate, and just unwind. We love using Headspace or Calm app! 2/16/2018 5 Comments Loving Your BodyThere are a lot of reasons why we find it difficult to love your bodies and truly accept them no matter what stage of life we are in. While the reasons may be different, there are some strategies that we can employ to help us refocus on energy on taking care of and appreciating our bodies. Part of that is also breaking down how unrealistic standards and society's expectations have also impacted us in ways that we might not recognize or be fully aware of.
2/9/2018 0 Comments Spring break prepSpring Break is all about fun, relaxation, and recharging your battery. However, for many it becomes a time where our daily healthy movement habits take a hiatus. So the question is, how can you keep those good movement habits going but not stress about making it to the gym?
Try Something New! Breaks are a great time to mix up your routine by trying a new fun activity that you normally wouldn’t do during your busy schedule. Here are some of our suggestions:
Nutrition is always important when it comes to fueling your body and feeling good. Follow along with our Do's and Don't's to help you feel your best! DO:
And whether you are intentionally bumming around and relaxing over Spring Break or you're traveling and enjoy your week off, REMEMBER that this week is built into the semester to help you recharge and reboot. Make sure to get the most out of it by:
Let us know what you tried this Spring Break! 2/5/2018 26 Comments Social SupportCook with a friend – Split cooking time and costs, and have fun doing it! This can be a time saving way to hang out with your best bud and get your meal prepping done at the same time. They may even have different recipes that can spice up your routine. Eat with a friend – Need a reminder to stop and eat lunch? You won’t if your bestie is waiting to eat with you! Make weekly dates with friends on a particular day and set goals such as bringing a different home-prepared meal or trying to build a full “ChooseMyPlate” meal in the dining hall incorporating all 5 food groups (fruit, vegetable, grains, protein, dairy). Involve friends who are actually supportive – Find someone who will be right next to you on your journey and who inspires you, not who will police your eating habits and make you feel bad. This will help make your experience enjoyable, positive, and long lasting. Find a workout buddy – Having a buddy to workout with will not only make your fitness journey more enjoyable, but will also help to hold you accountable to your plan. Schedule your workouts with your buddy ahead of time to help add some extra motivation on those long days where you would might be tempted to skip. Connect with like-minded people – Finding people who are sharing the same fitness journey with you is a key to success. If you can find that with your current friends and family that is a great place to start, but don’t be afraid to reach outside your current circle to find the right support. An online message board or community can often be a great place to find people with similar goals and challenges that can help support you on your journey.
Join a fitness class – Getting social support doesn’t always need to come from people that you know beforehand. Group Fitness classes are a great way to gain motivation and help you adhere to your activity program. Not only are you in a room full of people who enjoy the same activity and potentially have the same fitness goals, but you also have a fitness professional to help give you advice, support, and motivation along the way as well. Who knows, you may even find a new friend and workout buddy! Check out the current Fitness Class schedule below! 1/26/2018 0 Comments BalanceBalance is essential to reaching any of your goals because we want them to be lifelong habits, not short-term projects that we give up on because they are too unrealistic. Since balance looks different from one area of health to the next, we have a few tips to help you find harmony no matter what your goals are.
Balance and Nutrition
Balance and Fitness When you think of balance and fitness, you may picture someone standing on one foot or holding a complicated Yoga pose. However, we are talking about balance as it relates to developing a well-rounded activity plan to help minimize the risk of injury and promote successful adherence. Here are the main components that you should include every week to have healthy movement balance.
Balance and Life
1/17/2018 24 Comments Apps to Help you Stay ON TrackNUTRITION APPS WARNING: 1: Forget calorie counters: Sometimes it’s useful to get an idea of around how much you’re eating, or have a general concept of what foods are higher or lower in calorie; but overall, I don’t recommend students “count” calories on a daily basis. Counting calories creates an idea that eating, in general (aka taking in calories), is bad…which is FALSE. We need calories to exercise, focus in class, and you know, EXIST?! 2. Forget gimmicky names: aka “skinny” brownies, “fat-burning” salad, or “detox” juice. These are lies. They’re trying to get you to click on their post. Eating one food or one particular recipe is not markedly improving anyone’s health or drastically change your weight in a way that’s maintainable or healthy. Keep these things in mind and you’ll be a master chef in no time with these nifty apps!
Other Grocery Store Apps Where do you go grocery shopping? Do they have an app? These totally underrated apps can save you all sorts of time and money. They often allow you to build lists of ingredients and tell you exactly where to find the product in store, and if there’s a sale going on at that time for that food. FITNESS APPS & TRACKERS
SLEEP & RELAXATION
1/17/2018 45 Comments goal settingSET SMALL GOALS
GET THE RIGHT ADVICE
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
MODIFY YOUR GOALS
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