• Unit 9: Health Management

    Unit 9 is a compendium of recommendations about managing your health and wellbeing in college. Nutrition, good exercise and adequate sleep are vital to this pursuit. But substance abuse, stress, mental health, and sexual health are critical, too, and can mean the difference between staying focused in college or deviating from your intended path of success. Employing safety measures on every level helps you be secure no matter where you are, on or off campus. Your health and wellbeing impact every aspect your life.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 5 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • describe healthy eating habits and techniques for making healthy food choices, especially in college;
      • describe how physical fitness and exercise can impact both body and brain;
      • identify ways to ensure good sleep habits for physical and mental health;
      • describe substance abuse and warning signs of substance abuse risk;
      • describe the effects of alcohol and drug abuse on the body and how to find related information and guidance;
      • examine sources and signs of student stress and healthy ways to manage stress to fit your lifestyle;
      • describe indicators of mental health issues on campus and strategies for improving mental health issues;
      • identify suicide warning signs and resources for further information about mental health issues;
      • describe types of sexually transmitted diseases and how to prevent STDs or unintended pregnancies;
      • identify risks of sexual assault, including date rape, and where to go for help; and
      • describe safety consciousness and strategies for staying safe.

    • 9.1: Why It Matters: Health Management

      • Why It Matters: Health Management Page

        Your health impacts every aspect your life, so it’s important to ensure that you’re doing all you can to be healthy, especially when you’re in a high-stress situation like college. A good way to embark on the college experience is to conduct an inventory of your current lifestyle.

        Assess where you are in managing your health.

    • 9.2: Nutrition

      • Nutrition Page

        College offers many temptations for students trying to create or maintain healthy eating habits. What food choices do you make on a regular basis? Learn about the United States Department of Agriculture healthy eating guidelines, and about ways to adopt healthy food attitude.

    • 9.3: Exercise

      • Exercise Page

        Regular exercise is one of the most valuable activities you can engage in as a college student for mood and memory enhancement, weight loss, creativity, anxiety reduction and much more. What do you do for physical fitness? Now is the perfect time to make exercise a regular part of your life.

    • 9.4: Sleep

      • Sleep Page

        Sleep, like exercise and a healthy diet, is vital to our well-being. But we often allow life’s demands to impinge upon our quality sleep time. New sleep habits can be adopted, though. Find out about the benefits of sleep for both physical and mental health, and learn effective strategies for falling asleep.

    • 9.5: Substance Abuse

      • Substance Abuse Page

        Whether used or regularly abused, legal and illegal substances alike can have extremely negative effects on one's life. Do you have a predilection for using substances? Do you smoke? Do you drink? Learn about the body and brain effects of all major substances, including alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Find out where to go for help.

    • 9.6: Stress

      • Stress Page

        Stress is a natural response of the mind and body to a situation in which you feel threatened or anxious. How do you deal with stress? Find out about the signs and effects of stress and effective ways to manage it.

    • 9.7: Mental Health

      • Mental Health Page

        Knowing how to take care of your mental health when you’re in college is just as important as maintaining your physical health. In fact, doctors are finding that positive mental health can actually improve your physical health. Learn about mental health indicators, depression, loneliness, eating disorders, anxiety, and suicidal behavior.

        Learn how to get help.

    • 9.8: Sexual Health

      • Sexual Health Page

        Love, affection, and sexual intimacy all play a role in healthy relationships and contribute to your sense of well-being. But poor decisions can adversely affect you and your partner, so it’s important to know what you can do to protect yourself and your partner. Learn about pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and the risks of sexual assault.

        Learn where to go for help.

    • 9.9: Safety

      • Safety Page

        College and university campuses tend to feel special and safe. But any campus is subject to the same influences – indeed, crimes – as the towns and cities around them. So it is important to be aware of your surroundings, the people near you, and the goings-on in your physical spaces and virtual spaces at all times.

        Learn about safety consciousness, indicators of school crime, and strategies for staying safe.

    • 9.10: Putting It Together: Health Management

      • Putting It Together: Health Management Page

        Physical health may be the basis of all other forms of health. If your body isn’t healthy, then any and all facets of health and wellbeing can be affected. Take the time to think about how you can employ healthy habits in your life. What changes you can make today?