This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Temple chapter.

Aside from your brain, there’s not much in your body that does quite as much for you as your heart. The vital organ works around-the-clock to pump blood through your body and delivers nutrients, oxygen, and hormones to every part of your being. We all know that to maintain good heart health we need to be treating our bodies with respect and practicing daily exercise and healthy eating habits. However, the weekly and daily routine changes that come along with being in school can make it more difficult to be intentional about making healthy choices. College often means a whole lot of stress, microwavable meals, sitting and studying, a little too much partying, and not a whole lot of sleep. Wendy DeYoung, an instructor of exercise physiology at Colorado State University, says that “these typical college life behaviors have the potential to become cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors during college and further develop into CVD during adult years.” Being more mindful about the habits that can protect your heart from future disease or complications, such as heart disease, can help you to feel better on a daily basis and give you peace of mind knowing you’re taking care of one of your body’s most important parts.

Exercise for 75-150 Minutes a Week

Some days I find myself sitting in front of my laptop rushing to complete assignments by their due dates for hours on end. It can be hard to carve out time to get yourself moving between papers, projects, and in the midst of all of life’s craziness. High blood pressure is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease, and lowering it is one of the most significant benefits of physical activity. Fortunately, you don’t have to exercise every single day to keep your heart strong: The American Heart Association recommends that adults “get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both.” (https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults) This exercise can be spread throughout the week and includes those brisk walks to class and climbing those 8 flights of stairs when the elevator line is wrapped around the building. It can include the fun stuff, too, like dancing your heart out with your friends at a party. If your college or university offers access to fitness centers or classes, try and see if you can routinely incorporate a fun workout class or an hour spent at the gym into your busy week. Everyone can make time for what’s important enough to them.

Skip the Salt

Finding the time, opportunity, and money to prepare and eat healthy meals is one of the average college students’ biggest struggles. We are often tempted to choose the meal that takes 60 seconds to cook (yes ramen noodles, we are looking at you) over the one that we know is better for us but would take more time (and usually is more pricey). These quick meals are often chock-full of sodium and preservatives that increase our blood pressure and make it harder for our bodies to work efficiently. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adults have no more than 2,300mg of sodium each day, which amounts to about a teaspoon of salt. If you still want a quick and cheap meal, try going for options that say “low-sodium” or “no salt added” on the package and spice up your food using other seasonings such as pepper or oregano. Hot sauce is my go-to and only has about 124mg of sodium per teaspoon. Get creative with those flavors!

Ditch the Smoke

As more and more campuses become tobacco-free, all of our hearts are cheering from the inside. We’ve heard it again and again- the simple truth that even if you are not a smoker yourself, being around those who are can have negative impacts on your health. The FDA describes the effect that this smoke has on our bodies by explaining that “when you breathe in cigarette smoke, the blood that is distributed to the rest of the body becomes contaminated with the smoke’s chemicals. These chemicals can do damage to your heart and blood vessels, which can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD)—the leading cause of all deaths in the United States.” So, smoking is some seriously bad stuff- but how do we avoid it if we’re surrounded by those who do it? My best suggestion would be to physically move yourself away from those who are smoking and try not to make it a habit to stand or be around smokers. If you do know someone who smokes, encouraging them to decrease their tobacco use or stop altogether can have positive effects on not only their health but yours, too. Know that every time you inhale smoke, your heart is paying the price, even if it’s not an everyday thing.

Stress Less, Protect Your Heart

Isn’t it weird how worrying about an exam or presentation can actually make your stomach hurt? Or that talking to someone you like romantically can literally send chills through your whole body? These physical sensations we feel as a result of our emotional or mental state are known as physiological responses, and they’re not always the most helpful. Having too much stress from the overwhelming demands of work, school, and home life can lead to physical symptoms that mimic those of serious illnesses (such as asthma or irritable bowel syndrome) and can wreak havoc on our bodies. The AHA says that “stress may affect behaviors and factors that increase heart disease risk: high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, smoking, physical inactivity and overeating.” Not only can our bodies’ natural responses to stress be harmful to our heart health, but so can the behaviors that we are tempted to engage in when we feel overwhelmed and need an escape from reality. Some effective ways you can manage stress are to meditate, practice mindfulness, speak affirmatively to yourself, exercise, and ensure that you have support and people to help you keep your head in the game when life feels extra tough. There are so many guides on coping with stress available at the tips of our fingers in 2020. Take advantage of these online resources and tools!

Get those Zzz’s- just not too many

As a college student, some late-night study sessions have ended with me looking out the window as the sun is coming up. You’ll never catch me or hardly anyone on campus before noon without a cup of coffee secured in their hands. Sacrificing your sleep to get that work done may be seen as a power move- but what are you actually doing to your body when 8 hours of sleep a night starts to become 4, or maybe on weekends, 14? Well, it turns out that lack of sleep can throw off your body’s natural cycles and increase risk factors for heart disease. “Sleep duration has decreased 1.5 to 2 hours per night per person in the last 50 years. But several recent studies show links between shortened sleep duration, defined as less than six hours of sleep, and increased risk of heart disease,” says WebMD journalist Christina Boufis. Over-sleeping isn’t all that great for our hearts, either. Though the research is still being conducted, medical professionals know that sleeping more than nine hours a night leads to heart disease risk factors such as obesity, depression, and Type 2 diabetes, along with other unpleasant side effects such as headaches (SO not fun, especially if no cocktails were enjoyed the night before). Professionals recommend getting seven to nine hours a day, which can lead to more productivity and higher energy levels as a result. So, sleeping more could help you finish that paper without having to watch the sunrise. Imagine that!

Being in college and balancing on the tightrope of life can be challenging, but taking the time to choose habits and practices that keep you feeling your best can make it that much easier. So, this February, celebrate American Heart Month by choosing to treat your own incredible body with love and respect and making some heart-healthy choices.

Go party “hearty”! <3

Citations: (in order)

5 Ways To Stay Heart-Healthy in College

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