Ways to Support Your Physical Wellness

For a long time, physical wellness has maintained the spotlight when we talk about our health and wellbeing. It was likely the first dimension of wellness that we learn about when we are young, and for some people, it’s what we focus on most. Don’t get me wrong…physical wellness is very important! But, the intent of the dimensions of wellbeing series is to give you an understanding that all aspects of wellness play an important role in our holistic wellbeing. 

Your physical self is one part of the whole, and its all about balance. So, here are some of our top tips for how to maintain and improve your physical wellness:

If you take nothing else from this article, please understand that your body and your brain will not function at full potential without regularly getting 7-8 hours of sleep!

1. Get enough sleep.

If you take nothing else from this article, please understand that your body and your brain WILL NOT FUNCTION at full potential without regularly getting 7-8 hours of sleep. If you are having trouble falling asleep, check-out this portal for more tips on improving sleep quality. If you are having trouble finding time to sleep because of school/work/video games/other responsibilities you might want to take a look at some time management strategies to ensure that you are leaving one-third of each day for zzz’s.  

2. Focus on balanced eating.

For a lot of students, grocery shopping, cooking, and meal planning is something else that you need to learn while at school. Although it can be more time consuming than eating out or grabbing something prepared from the grocery store, cooking meals from scratch is often much healthier and cheaper. Including as many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins (low-fat dairy, poultry, or legumes) in your diet as much as possible will keep you focused on healthier options more often.

3. Move your body.

Although physical activity looks different for each of us, the goal is to get active for 150 minutes a week for at least 10 minutes at a time.

Your body was made to move! Although physical activity looks different for each of us, the goal is to get active for 150 minutes a week for at least 10 minutes at a time. Finding an activity that you enjoy will make it much easier to achieve your goal. 

Be sure to follow @the_ssu and @sheridanbruins on social media to stay up to date on all the opportunities to get your heart pumping.  We have hosted a few at home Yoga and Fitness classes for you to enjoy on your own time!

Check out our #SherAtHome Playlist to catch up on classes!

Grab your yoga mat, set up a relaxing environment and follow these at-home yoga lessons. We’re sure you’ll be feeling positive, energized and ready to conquer the day ahead!

Get fit at home!

Download the resources that are referenced in the video below:

• At home workout excel spreadsheet

• Physical wellness exercises PowerPoint

4. Keep up your hygiene.

Hygiene is an important practice to keep you, and those around you healthy. Ask yourself: 

What should I do every day? 

• Two times a day, brush and floss your teeth

• Shower and use deodorant

• Clean up after yourself and your surroundings to avoid bugs and rodents

• Wash your hands…

  • before handling or eating food

  • after using the bathroom / toilet

  • after sneezing or wiping your nose

  • when they’re dirty

What should I do every week? 

• Take out the trash and recycling.  

• Do your laundry; wash your bedding, towels and clothes.  

• Clean your room, bathroom and shared spaces frequently. 

5. Practice Substance Safety

If you choose to use substances like alcohol or cannabis, follow lower risk guidelines, and avoid mixing any substances or activities that can increase risk. 

6. Don’t forget about your sexual health

Not everyone chooses to engage in sexual activity, but it is important that everyone understands sexual health and how it relates to our bodies, our relationships and our decisions. Check out the student-led Sexual Health and Violence Support Committee page for more information on how to protect your sexual health as a student, Our health centre staff are available to support you with your questions. For more specifics on sexually transited infections (STIs), protection, and healthy relationships check out this site!  

It's important that everyone understands sexual health and how it relates to our bodies, our relationships and our decisions.

7. Get checked

Annual check-ups with your family doctor, or our health centre team are important to ensure that you are maintaining your health and managing any illness. Did you know that as a Sheridan Student you have health insurance coverage? Check out these links for details:

Annual check-ups with your family doctor, or our health centre team are important to ensure that you are maintaining your health and managing any illness.

Still have questions on how to take care of yourself? 

Sheridan Library and Learning Services has a full list of resources and materials to help you along the way!

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This was written in collaboration with your Sheridan Student Union and Sheridan Wellness and Counselling Services. 

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Have you read our other blogs on how to support your wellness?

We've created a free bucket list for you to download! Check it out here where you'll find tips and activities that you can mark off as you work on the different categories of wellness. Here's what we've included in your bucket list: 

• Financial Wellness 

• Environmental Wellness

• Social Wellness 

• Occupational Wellness 

• Physical Wellness 

• Intellectual Wellness 

• Emotional Wellness 

• Spiritual Wellness 

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