As school will soon start back up for students, this week we will be discussing some fall healthy habits you can include in your day-to-day schedule. These fall healthy habits can be adapted to any weather and/or season and apply to working adults and students. We’ll be going over things you can do for your personal health, mental health, and physical health. These fall healthy habits are a great starting place for assisting your immune system in doing its best to keep you nice and healthy so you can have more time doing the things you love.
Get some fresh air: It’s always important to make sure you take a break between your tasks of the day. Try taking a short walk outside, if you’re able, or just spend some time sitting outside. This can be a nice moment to spend some time with your pet, if you have one. If you can’t leave the building, try sitting near an open window so you can observe the surroundings. If you’re at home, you can even try setting up your own cozy area in front of the window. Kirsten Weir states that “… exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation.” (Weir, 2020)
Hygiene: Wearing masks is always encouraged for those that are able and do not have any breathing or respiratory problems (consult with your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns). Regardless of vaccination status, wearing masks proves beneficial for preventing the spread of diseases like COVID that “spreads primarily through respiratory droplets exhaled when infected people breathe, talk, cough, sneeze, or sing.” (Brooks & Butler, 2021) These droplets can even stay suspended in air in an area that is not well ventilated. This is especially important for those who visit high traffic areas (for example, students in a classroom or workers in an office). In addition to face masks and face shields, one of the most important things you can do is to wash your hands. Viruses can also spread via indirect contact (i.e. touching a contaminated surface) so be sure you try and avoid eating or touching any part of your face before washing your hands. This is especially so as flu season is coming up.
Self Care: Take a few moments each day to destress and avoid the health effects of chronic stress such as affecting one’s cognitive functioning (Peavy et al., 2009). Sleep is an important part of everyone’s life. Last week’s blog, Importance of a Sleep Schedule, lists some of the many benefits of sleep and the detrimental effects of not getting enough of it.
- In addition to that, make sure to drink plenty of water to hydrate yourself and keep your body functioning properly. Work time into your schedule to relax and do activities that can help brighten your mood (i.e. reading, painting, gardening, bird-watching, etc.) The CDC makes some suggestions of ways to remain sun safe: “Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses and use broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15.”
- If you are taking any supplements (as recommended by your healthcare provider) be sure you continue with your plan. Also, make sure you schedule your yearly checkup if you haven’t already. These annual examinations are important as it provides your healthcare provider with a better chance of diagnosing any potential problems.
All in all, these fall healthy habits are just the starting point when it comes to having great health. Of course, there are many other things you can incorporate into your daily life to ensure you get the most you can out of each day. You can try writing down a list of things you feel can help improve your health and discuss it with your healthcare provider. You might be surprised at the simple things you can do that can boost your health!
Brooks, J. T., & Butler, J. C. (2021). Effectiveness of mask wearing to control community spread of sars-cov-2. JAMA, 325(10), 998. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.1505
Peavy, G. M., Salmon, D. P., Jacobson, M. W., Hervey, A., Gamst, A. C., Wolfson, T., Patterson, T. L., Goldman, S., Mills, P. J., Khandrika, S., & Galasko, D. (2009). Effects of chronic stress on memory decline in cognitively normal and mildly impaired older adults. American Journal of Psychiatry, 166(12), 1384–1391. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2009.09040461
Weir, K. (2020, April 1). Nurtured by nature. Monitor on Psychology. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature.
Feature Photo by Katie Harp on Unsplash
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
Blessing Bolomope, Student Intern
B.S. Nutrition & Food Science – Dietetics
University of Maryland, College Park | 2020