Prioritizing Your Health: How to Practice Physical Wellness this Term

Hey Ravens!

As the season warms up, it is a good time to reflect on the importance of our physical wellnesses. Physical wellness involves the maintenance of a healthy body including good physical health habits, nutrition, exercise and obtaining appropriate health care.

Ways to Take Care of your Physical Health

 The average student needs at least eight hours of sleep a night. Here are some ways to get better and longer sleep this term:

• Set a fixed bed and wake-up time to allow your body to adjust to a well-regulated sleep schedule
• Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol four to six hours before bed
• Block out any disrupting noise or light
• Try out anxiety-reducing practices such as yoga or meditation before bed
• Separate your bed and workspace

It is important even during the early spring that we continue to protect our immune systems. Ways we can do this include washing our hands, getting full night’s rests, dressing warmly and remaining hydrated.

If you are feeling sick, be sure to check out Carleton’s Health Clinic Services and their walk-in services. Additionally, you can check out the clinic or a pharmacy near you to keep up to date with your immunizations.

We can also take care of our physical wellnesses by focusing on the foods we eat. It is important to be mindful of our eating habits, making time to eat well-balanced meals and noticing when our bodies are hungry or full. It is also important that we remain well hydrated—remember to drink water throughout the day! Check out the Health Promotion’s webpage on nutrition to learn more about physical wellness.

If you are curious about ways to improve your physical wellness through nutrition, Carleton offers appointments with dietitian Talia Klein. Learn more about Talia and her services on the Dining Services website.

Activities at Carleton for Physical Wellness

If you prefer to stay indoors to exercise, Carleton has many amenities such as the gym, the pool and CUFit classes.

The gym hours are 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekends. The gym also hosts women’s only hours from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. every day. If you’re more of a swimmer, check out the Carleton pool schedule for activities such as recreational and fitness swimming. The pool also offers times for women’s only and trans and allies’ swims. If you’re interested in instructional classes CUFit pass prices for students are $28 monthly or $99 for the whole term. This allows you to attend classes such as yoga, kickboxing, spin and more. Visit the Athletics website for the CUFit schedule and registration.

Additionally, there are tons of clubs at Carleton dedicated to fitness. Some to highlight are the Carleton University Girl Gains Club which offers workout classes and fun activities such as making vision boards and friendship bracelets. They even have a club channel where members of the club give advice on the gym and other health goals. You can find them on Instagram @GirlGainsCU.

Other clubs include the Carleton Dancelab, a club for anyone to explore their passion for dance, and Carleton Powerlifting, a club for all skill levels to learn and participate in powerlifting! Other clubs at Carleton related to fitness can be found in the CUSA club directory.

At the Wellness Desk, we hope that all students take some time to support their physical wellness this term and beyond! If you have any questions or require more resources or support please come visit the Wellness Desk at 204A MacOdrum Library.