Your physical health
If you have a medical condition and require additional support, you can contact the Inclusion team.
Eating well
The food you eat can have an impact on how your mind and body works, so a basic knowledge of how to eat healthily will help you get the most out of your university experience and create healthy lifetime eating habits.
What and how much should you eat?
Energy needs depend on many factors including your age, body size, whether you’re male or female, and how active you are. The NHS Eat Well Guide can help you develop a personal healthy eating and physical activity pattern.
Water is always a great choice and it’s free. Taking a refillable bottle with you is a great way to make sure you’re drinking enough.
Choose a reusable bottle where you know how much water it contains, and therefore how many times you would need to refill this to drink your recommended 2 litres a day. Don’t like the taste of water? Try adding sliced lemon, cucumber or other fruit to your water for added flavour – the fruit slices can be reused all day and are a low cost, healthy alternative to juices.
Drink less
Drinking can be a big part of university culture for some, but if you would like further information about units, your health, and how to cut down, take a look at the links below.
Local drug and alcohol support services
Smoking
It’s not easy to quit smoking but it is possible if you are motivated. So what is yours? Is it to save money? Is it to improve your health? Whatever it is, it helps if you try to keep it in mind and focus on the benefits.
Every smoker has a different approach to quitting and different requirements for support. Not all methods work for each smoker however there are some methods which can help many people.
One of the most crucial parts of quitting smoking is to get the support of your family and friends. There are also groups and support services that you can access in your local area – click below to find out more.
Alternatively, contact your General Practitioner (GP). If you haven’t got a GP whilst at university be sure to register with one as soon as possible.
Physical activity
Exercise is an effective way of improving your mental and physical wellbeing and improving self esteem and confidence. Engaging in a daily activity can also help you to form a routine that will increase your motivation levels. There are loads of free resources out there, here are just few.
Edge Hill Sport offers students a range of student memberships at a great price, which can include access to the facilities.
View the membership options
Sleep
For most of us, sleep is normal, and something we take for granted. However, sometimes, for a variety of reasons, we cannot sleep which can be distressing.
When we are under stress, we need more sleep but sometimes the anxiety we are feeling can disturb our sleep pattern.
Tips for better sleep
- Try not to worry about how much sleep you are getting.
- Eat light meals in the evening and try not to eat for two hours before going to bed.
- Cut down of caffeine, nicotine and alcohol.
- Exercise regularly but not immediately before going to bed.
- Try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day.
- Don’t go to bed if you aren’t tired.
- Make sure your bed and bedroom are warm and quiet.
- If you’ve had a bad night resist the temptation to sleep the next day – it will make it harder to sleep the following night.
- If something is troubling you and there is nothing you can do there and then, try writing it down before you go to bed and tell yourself you will deal with it tomorrow. Try and find someone you can trust to discuss your worries with during the day.
- If you can’t sleep get up, read, watch TV or listen to quiet music until you feel tired. Everyone has their own way of clearing their minds of worry prior to sleep.
- Mind clearing – imagining a black velvet theatre curtain coming down and blocking busy thoughts.
- Mentally write out your worries on a whiteboard and then slowly and deliberately wipe them off.
- Lie on your back and count backwards from 100, visualising each number
- Recall the day moment to moment but in reverse: the last thing you did all the way to getting up.
Here are a few apps that can help to improve your sleep:
Relaxation and mindfulness
Calm those racing thoughts, release some stress and simply switch off with these helpful resources.
Five minute self-compassion practice
Progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a deep relaxation technique that has been effectively used to control stress and anxiety, relieve insomnia, and reduce symptoms of certain types of chronic pain. Progressive muscle relaxation is based upon the simple practice of tensing, or tightening, one muscle group at a time followed by a relaxation phase with release of the tension.
Here are some video and audio exercises from the NHS to help you relax and feel calm.
Advice for pregnant students
Edge Hill University is committed to supporting pregnant students throughout the course of their studies. Our approach is informed by the Equality Act (2010) and by the guidelines produced by the Equality Challenge Unit. Information about your pregnancy will be treated sensitively and will be passed on only on a need to know basis and with your consent.
Support from the University
You are encouraged to inform your Personal Tutor, Departmental Tutor, Programme Tutor, or in the case of research degree students, Principal Supervisor of your pregnancy as early as you can to allow us to support you in the best way possible.
This document details what your next steps should be if you discover you are pregnant while at university.
You can also arrange an appointment with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team to discuss your pregnancy and receive advice about additional support available to you.