University can be a great time, but it can also be stressful.

With, what seems to be, hundreds of deadlines at once, having to do presentations (which is the worst for those who hate public speaking), balancing work and social life, struggling with homesickness, and, on top of it all, trying to maintain good physical & mental health can be overwhelming to say the least.

All this stress builds up over time and can leave students feeling very anxious, stressed, and depressed.

But it doesn’t have to be this way! Here are 5 great tips that can help you to have good mental health.

1. Eat right & Stay Active

When it comes to university, eating right & exercise can end up at the bottom of the list… especially when you have all those great, but very unhealthy, food trucks right outside your door.

But healthy eating and exercise is important. Eating healthy provides you with all the vitamins and minerals you needs to stay healthy! Whilst exercise helps to burn off any extra energy and can help to clear your mind and improve emotional resilience.

Some ways you can incorporate this into your life can start off with small changes. Such as having fruit as snacks or cycling instead of taking the bus.

2. Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is very beneficial for your mental health. Sleep allows your mind and body to unwind and reset. According to Harvard, when you don’t get enough sleep, you’re more likely to think negatively and be at risk for emotional vulnerability 

Sleep also helps to improve your memory, mental resilience, and to think clearer! So, instead of staying up all night to finish coursework, try to get in a good nights sleep... between 6-8 hours. It’s more likely to help you get a better grade

3. Talk About Your Feelings

Bottling up your emotions never helps. All it does is build up overtime and cause more harm to you. Instead of pushing everything down, talk about your feelings with a loved one or someone you trust, whether this is a therapist, friend, or a wellbeing advisor. Or if you don’t want to talk to someone you know, visit together all for free online support.

Talking about what is making you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed can help to alleviate any heavy weight they bring and help give clarity to the situation. This can be anything from worries about coursework and exam deadlines to relationship issues or anything else.

4. Relax & Take Breaks

As I’m sure you’re aware, university is filled with plenty of work. There always seems to be work to do, from writing coursework, revising for exams, or reading lots of literature and case studies.

It’s vital for you to take time between work to relax and have a break.

This could be anything from relaxing alone at home enjoying a movie or going out for a walk… anything that you enjoy!

Have Fun!

Life isn’t just coursework, revision and deadlines. University is the time to make some amazing memories! Go out and have fun with some friends, go on adventures, do things you’ve always wanted to do!

When you take the time to have fun and see the enjoyment in life, the things that caused you to feel stress will become insignificant.

We hope these tips have helped you! And remember, you are not alone. Mind found that 1 in 5 university students deal with mental health issues at university. Sometimes, just knowing you are not the only one feeling this way can help.

If you are struggling with mental health issues, here are some places that help:

• Mind
• Contact your University wellbeing team
• Student Minds
• National Autistic Society- for autistic students
• Student Against Depression
• Papyrus