The person next to you is sneezing in class, the person behind you on the bus is coughing and your roommate is getting over a cold. No matter where you go, it seems people everywhere are getting sick or have already caught the bug.
How do you avoid the germ worm and stay healthy? Here are some helpful hints from Schiffert Health Center for keeping your immune system strong while the temperature fluctuates and mid-terms approach.
Of course there?s the number one to stay cold-free is to wash your hands, scrubbing vigorously for 40 seconds, throughout the day.
You remember what your mother or father always told you when you were sneezing or coughing? ?Cover your mouth with your hand.?
According to Schiffert, it turns out you should not use your hand; instead, using the elbow of your sleeve or using a tissue will avoid spreading your germs further. Most germs spread because someone sneezes in his/her hand and then goes to touch the telephone, doorknob or a classroom desk.
Another tip is to stay away from people who are really sick. In college, everyone understands you can?t move out of your room if your roommate is sick, but you can avoid close contact. Also you can clean and wipe down the doorknobs, sink area and common things you both might touch, like the TV, with Clorox disinfectant wipes.
Laurie Schmidt, a Health Educator at Schiffert, recommends keeping a box of the Clorox disinfectant wipes in classrooms to wipe down surfaces before or after class.
Jon Fritsch, another Health Educator at Schiffert, said one big way to avoid getting sick is to ?Not to smoke. It puts you at risk for respiratory infections such as the cold and flu. Smoking weakens your immune system, and your lungs become more susceptible to infections,? he said.
Not getting enough sleep also compromises your immune system. If you get enough sleep, you are less susceptible to infections. That is why when students get less sleep because of mid-terms or stress, they are more likely to get a bug.
?The amount of sleep you need depends on your body,? Schmidt said. ?The best way to determine how much sleep you need is to go to bed at the same time each night and get up without an alarm clock for one week.?
Schmidt knows this can be tough with having to wake up for classes, but the next time you don?t have to set an alarm, give it a try.
?After the first few days it (your body) takes to make up for any sleep debt you may have had, you should find that you begin to wake up at a consistent time feeling rested. This is the amount of sleep you personally need on a regular basis,? Schmidt said.
Exercising and getting the daily recommended amount of vitamins from vegetables and fruits will also keep you staying well.
?Don?t rely just on your daily multi-vitamin to get your vitamins. If you follow the food pyramid, you?ll get the vitamins you need just from the food you?re eating,? both Schmidt and Fritsch said.
