Students are among the most vulnerable age groups to a wide range of diseases and health issues. These young people undergo a lot of stress and serious changes in their lives. All of which can lead to developing health complications. Plus, students often lack experience in making the most rational and healthy life choices. Altogether, this group of people is at high risk of developing these seven health issues.
1. Chronic Stress & Anxiety
The school presents many stresses for students. It comes with many challenges, including homework, long study hours, peer pressure, homesickness, etc. All these stresses affect young people’s mental health. Stress and anxiety can be serious health issues if they are not addressed.
Overall, serious stress and anxiety levels can cause mood swings, irritation, lack of focus, poor memory retention, poor sleep, etc. All these factors will affect one’s physical health and school performance. Moreover, stress and other mental health disorders can push students towards substance abuse, like alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
2. Depression
Stress, anxiety, school pressure, a sense of loneliness, personal issues, and other factors can also provoke depression. This is a serious mental health disorder that requires professional intervention and monitoring. Depression is also widely spread among teenagers and young adults. Students start to feel apathy, frustration, lack of motivation, low energy levels, no appetite, and no interest in any activities.
Depression can progress over time and last from several months to several years without proper help. Students with such a diagnosis have a hard time concentrating on school or their academic performance, maintaining social or personal relationships, and taking proper care of their physical or psychological needs.
3. Sleep Disorders
Sleep difficulties are a common health issue that many students experience on a daily basis. Usually, students have difficulty sleeping due to a variety of factors, including stress, academic pressure, irregular schedules, lifestyle choices and the use of electronic devices before bedtime.
Some of the most common sleep disorders among students are insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. All of them affect the quality and the amount of sleep students experience per night.
Yet, lack of sleep can lead to a number of physical and mental health problems, such as fatigue, irritability, decreased cognitive function, and a lack of focus and awareness, which can also increase the risks of accidents. Overall, sleep plays a crucial role in our lives, the ability to process new information and stay concentrated and alert. Hence, it’s best to think, “How can I pay writepaperfor.me to do my homework on time?” than pulling an all-nighter, worrying about grades.
4. Obesity
The Freshman 15 is the real thing, and it affects thousands of students during their first year of college. School stress, change of environment, new and not-so-healthy eating habits, and lack of exercise or healthy routine can lead to rapid weight gain or even obesity. Unfortunately, a poor understanding of nutrients and long study hours don’t help the case. Students eat at random hours and at random places and rarely maintain a balanced diet. Bad eating choices can lead to all sorts of complications, from high blood pressure to sudden energy spikes and fatigue, constant tiredness, stress, heart issues, and, of course, diabetes and obesity.
5. Infectious Diseases
Students spend most of their time indoors. Moreover, they often share spaces with hundreds of other people, whether in dormitories or lecture halls. Such a living creates a perfect environment for various infectious diseases such as cold, flu, meningitis, and even sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Infections are usually spread by viruses, parasites, or bacteria. It often travels from one person to another through direct (kissing, touching) or indirect (surfaces or air droplets) contact. Most viruses are easy to catch and spread without even knowing. That’s why it’s important to stay at home during any first symptoms of infectious disease, like a cold or flu.
6. Eye Strain
Students often suffer from various eye health complications, mainly from eye strain. Excessive screen time due to studying, social media, or gaming can cause eye pain, headaches, and other vision-related problems. Long studying, reading, and writing, especially on a computer, can easily cause eye strain among students.
Our eyes become tired and dry after staring for hours at one distance and bright screens. As a result, students experience discomfort and start having vision issues, including temporary worsening of their eyesight and difficulty focusing. Eye strain can also interfere with students’ sleep patterns, making it harder to fall asleep and relax after studying.
7. Muscle Pain
Back pain is a common health issue many students experience due to various factors. For example, prolonged sitting or standing, poor posture, heavy backpacks, and lack of exercise are some of the most common causes of back pain in students. As a result, most young people suffer from some form of muscle tension in their lower back, neck, shoulders, or knees.
Long study hours only increase pressure on the spine and lower back muscles. Plus, most students don’t try to maintain good posture when sitting at computers or in lectures. Hence, wrong positions also create additional stress on the spine, joints, and muscles. Such a health issue is particularly true for students who don’t exercise. The weaker their muscles are, the more stress they experience.
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