Today many students are enrolling in online colleges. It definitely comes with a few benefits compared to traditional colleges. Online degrees tend to be less expensive and there is no need to travel anywhere to attend your classes. But there is a bad side as well. Students who pursue online degrees frequently experience burnout, fatigue and eye strain due to prolonged screen exposure. Let us take a look at some health tips that they should follow.
Take Breaks At Regular Intervals
You tend to exercise your eyes more and blink less when you stare at the screen without taking any breaks. Focusing on the screen for a continuous period can lead to eye discomfort and pain. Other, more serious, side effects on the eyes of prolonged screen time include,
- Dry eyes
- Nearsightedness
- Retinal damage
- Eye fatigue
Take frequent breaks to avoid straining your eyes. Try to take at least a 5-minute break every 20-30 minutes of screen time. You can also follow the 20-20-20 rule. It will help keep your eyes refreshed at all times.
Use Blue Light Glasses
Blue light glasses are designed to block the blue light which comes out of your mobile or computer screen. They can help reduce eye strain and fatigue resulting from prolonged exposure to the screen. If you have an eye prescription you can purchase prescription glasses with a blue-light blocking feature. There is no real scientific evidence to prove that blue light glasses improve eye health. But many people find it helpful for eye fatigue during online work and assignments.
Don’t Look At A Screen Unless You Have To
Students pursuing online degrees will naturally have to spend a lot of time online. But there are plenty of instances where they don’t have to look at a screen. If you get a writing assignment, try to do a handwritten one instead of typing and creating a document. This will save you a lot of screen time. In the case of research or informative essays, use books instead of looking up sources online. If you want a break from online assignments because of excessive eye strain, consider hiring an online writing service. Reputed services like Writer Per Hour have professional writers who can write high-quality essays, articles and other writing works.
Have A Schedule
Being organized will help you more than you realize. A schedule will help you stay on track with your work, assignments, chores and other things you have to do in your day. If you have part-time jobs or hobbies, scheduling them can help you manage your class and leisure time. Not having a schedule can make you less organized and productive. When you do things as and when you feel, you tend to become lazy. It can also lead to procrastination which will cause unnecessary stress and burnout in the end.
Get Sufficient Sleep
You should get at least 7 hours of sleep every day. Staying up late at night and using electronic devices can lead to increased fatigue and disturbed sleep cycles. Students who pursue their degrees online should be conscious of how they balance work and sleep. Putting off assignments and projects can lead to all-nighters. Pulling all-nighters continuously will harm your body in the long run. Make sure you finish your assignments on time. Stay away from electronic devices for at least an hour before you sleep.
Practice Healthy Eating Habits
Skipping meals or eating unhealthy food will affect your energy levels and ability to concentrate during class. It will also increase your tendency to snack frequently because of hunger. Make it a priority to have three full and healthy meals every day. If your class starts a while after mealtime, have a healthy snack to keep you full. Avoid unhealthy snacks since they make you crave more food after a short while. You should also avoid eating very late at night or consuming a lot of caffeine. It might affect your digestion.
Exercise
Students often neglect exercise and fail to prioritize it. Sitting in one position every day without moving can put a strain on your body and leave you mentally exhausted. Make sure you incorporate at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. You can do it early morning before classes or in the evening after they end. You can even fit a 15-minute workout session in between classes when you have breaks! It doesn’t have to involve actual exercise movements. You can try dancing, jogging, sports or other fun physical activities. It will significantly improve your mood and energy levels making you more attentive in class.
Spend Time With Your Family
Many students tend to isolate themselves from their families during their period of online education. This can be a result of stress, too much work or an inability to communicate what they are feeling. Make sure you spend quality time with your family. You can do this before, after and in between classes. Healthy family relationships will improve your mood and motivate you to work on your assignments or study for your tests.
Go Out With Friends
Being an online degree student doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sit in your home all day. When your friends invite you for hangouts, get together with them on weekends. Socializing will keep you motivated for the week. Talking with your friends can also help alleviate your stress and calm you down for a while. Getting out and interacting with others will help you maintain your sanity.
Take It Easy
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Online degrees can be very demanding and you will face many challenges. You might not find help to clear your doubts immediately or feel isolated due to long hours in front of your computer. When you experience burnout or get overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to take a day off or two. Keep your weekends relaxed as much as possible. You can also plan short vacations now and then, have some adventures and unwind yourself.
Conclusion
Before pursuing an online degree, it is important to note down all the measures you should take to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy. Find a good support system you can lean on. Stay connected with friends and family and ask for help when necessary.