The temperature outside is dropping and that means it’s time to make sure yours doesn’t rise! Unfortunately, flu season is back and that means you have to be extremely careful to protect yourself. Especially with finals coming up in a month, we all need to be at our healthiest to stay on top of our academics. Here are some simple tips that hopefully will help you stay healthy and avoid getting sick!
1. Take Vitamin C
If you aren’t getting enough of this important Vitamin, there are many ways to ensure that you do. Vitamin C can help to keep you healthy and comes in many different forms, available at any local drug store. You can choose from Vitamin C tablets (dissolvable in water), lozenges (in a variety of fruity flavors), and even orange juice itself. One of our favorites is Halls Vitamin C drops flavored Watermelon. They taste like candy and give you a 100% daily dose of your vitamin c. Also, Airborne is out with a gummy form of vitamin c which you can chew on at your leisure. At the first sign of a sniffle, be sure and get some vitamin c to help protect yourself against immunity.
2. Use Hand Sanitizer
Using hand sanitizer is extremely useful, especially for those who encounter public spaces on a daily basis. For travelers that take buses or trains to school, using hand sanitizer can prevent contracting illnesses from germs that may lurk on hand rails, door handles, seats, and anything else you come in contact with. Plus, it’s very inexpensive. Hand sanitizer is proven to kill 99.99% of germs when needed. Consider carrying one in your handbag, backpack, car, etc., and be sure to refill before they run out because they’ll definitely come in use! If you prefer using hand sanitizer with better scents, definitely try some of Bath & Body Works’ cute on the go travel size PocketBac’s! They have a variety of different scents like Japanese Cherry Blossom and Sweet Pea that smell great and are only 5 for $5!
3. Rest
Being a college student can be hard on your sleep schedule. Between school and work finding a healthy balance seems more difficult than ever. However, sleep is a vital part of staying healthy. Getting enough sleep ensures your body that it has enough energy to keep you from getting sick. Everyone is different, but studies show that adults need at least 8 hours of sleep, but some college students can still need as much as 10-12 hours. Sleep helps replenish the body and keep it working smoothly to maintain it’s health. So, remember to try and get in as much sleep as you can!
4. Bundle up
We know that not everyone enjoys wearing their ten pound winter coats or having to deal with many layers of clothing. Even so, don’t risk your wellness just for the sake of not looking bulky or not wanting the hassle of multiple articles of winter-wear. As we’re all aware, Chicago is constantly windy and breezy causing the temperature to feel so much colder than it may be. So even if the high of the day is 45 degrees, it can still get down to the 30s. It’s important to especially wear gloves, scarves, etc., because extraneous body parts are the first to freeze. Stay warm, wear a hat, and keep your health going.
5. Contact with sick people
For those who are around the unfortunate individuals who do get sick, be careful! Colds, infections, and the flu can spread more quickly that you think. The average human touches their face up to 5 times within a single minute! That’s 7,200 opportunities to spread germs per day. What’s worse is that no one realizes how often their hand is near their face. It’s an automatic habit that we all do: itching our nose, pushing our hair back, etc. What we need is to be conscious of what we’re touching and how that could affect our health when we cover our mouths to cough. (Also a wrong move, cough into a sleeve, a tissue, etc. Not your hand!)
Needless to say, germs spread fast and it’s important to steer clear of sick people when you can. It’s better to be safe than sorry so these suggestions will come in handy. Don’t panic too much about catching the flu or getting sick. Just remember to keep up with your vitamin c, get lots of rest, and drink your fluids! We wish you all health and wellness as flu season gets into full swing.