Health and Fitness for College Students

Perhaps one of the most ambiguous forms of expression in our society today is love. We tend to intertwine it into many aspects of our life, from the media we indulge in to the people we interact with. Movies have often made love out to be the magical conclusion to anyone’s life. The years we spend in college tend to be a time for experimentation, to see what we like and what we don’t like in people. However, what many don’t know is that lust is just what our subconscious isn’t telling us and love comes down to a simple hormonal equation.

As research has progressed over the years, it has become clear that the need to reproduce is what typically guides our attraction to others. Very few college students have interest in having children any time soon, but that doesn’t stop our subconscious from making decisions about possible mates, in hopes of conceiving the best possible offspring.

When looking for possible love interests, men seek out women who have a large amount of estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that promote fertility and health. Feminine facial characteristics, glowing skin, the proper amount of curves, high voices, and even how a woman walks are all signs of fertility.

Women are also looking for certain characteristics when they first meet a man. They look for signs of testosterone. This can be exemplified by certain body scents, lower voices, and even hormonally charged saliva. However, nice conversation and wet kisses are not all that a woman needs to become attracted to a male counterpart. Since the ladies have to carry on the baby, they subconsciously, and sometimes consciously, look for signs of stability in men. Money, fancy cars, and reliability tend to be big factors.

Once we have sorted through all of the components that help us decide if we are attracted to someone or not, the next stage in the interaction tends to ensue: we flirt and we go out on a date. Going out and participating in a bit of seductive banter can have many positive effects on one’s mood. It releases dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain. To give you some perspective, cocaine, ecstasy, nicotine, and alcohol release these hormones into the brain as well. So when flirting progresses to something more, don’t be surprised if you think about and crave the other person constantly. Love, even just lust, can be the hardest of drugs to kick.

But once one gets past the initial thrill from the start of a relationship, they’re still not in the clear. Enter oxytocin and vasopressin, quite possibly two of the most enjoyable and addictive hormones our bodies have to offer. Oxytocin is released during many intimate activities such as hugging, touching, orgasms, and childbirth. The release of this hormone can be an explanation for our attachment to the person that helped us to release it. Once the high from the oxytocin takes place, one experiences an increase in sexual arousal, bonding, and trust. Oxytocin provides the bonding, and vasopressin helps to encourage the longevity of a relationship.

Studies conducted on voles have shown that the release of oxytocin and vasopressin directly affected the animals’ monogamous tendencies. Without these hormones, the voles chose to play the field. But when these hormones were injected and no sexual activity occurred, the voles chose to be monogamous. These studies seem to suggest the hormones we naturally release hold more power over our emotions than we would like to believe. There is still much research to be done about how the effects of vasopressin and oxytocin affect humans and their relationships. But we do know that the act of cheating and the practice of monogamy are already programmed into our brains.

As research continues, more answers will arise about why it is that love is such an addictive and popular emotion. But even today, we can narrow it down to a simple chemical equation. Love may not be able to move mountains, but it can certainly create a large hormonal imbalance in your brain…. making you think that that and anything else is possible.

In the midst of exhaustion this week, my thoughts began to wander from my homework to an issue that all college students seem to deal with on a daily basis: lack of sleep. Some have called college students the most sleep-deprived group, with 75% of us not getting enough sleep. This percentage seems high, but I notice the sleep deprivation all throughout my college campus. I see my fellow peers drooling on desks, falling asleep sitting up, complaining about their lack of sleep, and (probably the most impressive) dozing off with their eyes wide open. The funny thing about this is a large portion of the time you see these acts of sleepiness on display, the student has a cup of coffee sitting not too far away from them. Due to this problem that we all can relate to at some point or another, this post is dedicated to the activity we all know and love, but rarely indulge in: sleeping.

The study of sleep is relatively new. The information we have found out about it we have acquired in the last 25 years. According to the National Sleep Foundation, Americans average 6.9 hours of sleep on weeknights, which is technically not enough since the recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7-8 hours and 9 hours for teenagers.

But why is sleep so important? Well, it gives your brain time to recharge from the day and your body time to repair cells and strengthen your immune system. Without enough sleep, one is more susceptible to illness, their pain tolerance is lower, they can become easily confused, and alcohol affects them much more. Being awake for 24 hours or more is the “cognitive equivalent” to being drunk.

With all of the available stimulants in our world today, it is often hard to tell if you are sleep deprived or not. A telltale sign is how long it takes you to fall asleep at night. It should typically take somewhere between 10-15 minutes. If you are snoozing within five minutes it means you haven’t been getting a sufficient amount of rest.

Often times, I like to judge the amount of sleep I get by how many REM cycles I enter in one night. REM is short for Rapid Eye Movement, because during this deep sleep the eyes tend to move quickly in different directions. When a person is in REM they are in an intense dream-like state because brain activity is increased. These cycles usually start after at least an hour of sleep and range from 10 minutes to an hour. Completing a full cycle takes 3-4 hours.

Adenosine is the chemical in your body that brings on sleepiness. When you miss those few extra hours of sleep at night, that sleepiness you feel during the day is due to adenosine still affecting your brain.

If you need a quick fix for the overload of adenosine in your system, a short power nap may do the trick. During a 30-minute nap, your body breaks down Adenosine, making you feel less sleepy. This short amount of time also gives your adrenal glands time to build up some cortisol so you can start using your adrenaline when you need it after the nap.

Photo by Isaac Mitchell

Short naps also help get your immune system back on track, which is particularly important if you have been sleep deprived for a while. Though be aware that the half an hour nap can’t solve all of your problems; it does not give adequate time to even enter a REM cycle and sometimes it will just make you drowsier for the rest of the day because you gave your body a taste of something it liked.

With so much going on in college, it is no wonder why students are known for getting the least amount of sleep. But this relaxing activity should not fall by the wayside. Try to keep track of how often you are getting enough sleep and make up for it when you fall behind. Even if you think you are at the top of your game, not resting enough for several days in a row will affect brain activity and could make you more susceptible to illness, so get the z’s you need to stay at your best.

In light of my recent 21st birthday, I thought it important to look at some of the effects of that notorious refreshment that has made its way into the hearts and minds of many college students: alcohol.I realize I have written posts on alcohol before, but this time I have decided to go a different direction with it, and talk about what happens to your body if you drink after or the night before a hard workout.

I began pondering about this topic after an intense Crossfit workout a couple of weeks ago. People were getting ready to leave the gym, each expressing what they desired to help ease the pain their sore muscles, and many talked about getting a refreshing, cold beer. It was only 11 o’clock in the morning and even I found myself thinking about how great a beer sounded.

But is drinking alcoholic beverage a good idea after or even before an intense workout? Many say that it depends on the amount one is planning on consuming. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest one alcoholic beverage per day for a woman and two for a man. If you go over that amount after a big workout, it makes it much more difficult for your muscles to heal because the ethanol in the alcohol blocks protein storage. The body will have a tougher time storing any vitamins as well and it can also dehydrate you at a time when your body needs hydration the most.

But the night before a big workout, such as a hike or a race, people can get nervous and a drink helps them relax. After a workout, a libation can be a refreshing award, which many look forward to. So don’t put away the booze too quickly, some drinks can be good for you. Beers, especially lagers, have a lot of B vitamins in them and red wine has loads of antioxidants. But try to stay away from hard liquor. Even though it often has fewer calories than beer or wine (see “Calories in Alcohol” post), it is straight ethanol and has no real health benefits. So try to resist taking a shot or two after or before a workout.

Often times it is difficult to stick with the recommended daily dosage for alcohol consumption, but try your best to pay attention to your drink count if you have just put your body through a lot of physical stress or if you plan to soon after drinking.

I started my summer internship at Trail Runner Magazine in Carbondale, Colorado a couple of weeks ago. The atmosphere and the people are great. I am constantly encouraged to go on a run or work out during my lunch break. My co-workers all enjoy the outdoors and love staying active, and as much as both of those values have always been important to me, I have never before found a job that allows me to incorporate them into my day to day tasks.

I have started Crossfit training, which is a combination weightlifting, aerobic exercise, and gymnastics (more detailed post about Crossfit to come). The starting foundations course I took for this type of workout was three times a week for two weeks, leaving me sore to the point where walking down stairs and putting on jackets was challenging. On the days I wasn’t at Crossfit, I was hiking, biking, or running, trying my best to stay in aerobic shape for my next trail race.

Needless to say, I have been pushing my body to and past its limit in the last 14 days, which has landed me in hot tubs, baths full of ice, and even in the back of my car for quick naps midday. My muscles were so exhausted after one Crossfit session that my whole body couldn’t stop shaking for about an hour. And now, in two days, I have my longest race yet, 13.1 miles. With my quadriceps (and just about every other muscle in my body) in a fair amount of pain, I am worried about how I will do in this trail race. However, one thing is for sure, I will spend the better half of next week sleeping and avoiding the gym…or at least that it the plan.

I wrote this post for a few reasons, number one, because sometimes it is just nice to be able to vent in a somewhat public setting. Another reason is because it brings up a topic that I think many in our country forget about: exercise addiction. We always see exercise as such a good activity, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Though this topic is for another post at another time.

And the other reason I chose to bring up this topic is to offer a bit of advice: treat your body the way it deserves to be treated. Resting and eating well are vitally important in order to maintain health and reduce chances of injury or illness. As college students, we tend to have idealistic thoughts of what we can accomplish. We almost live outside of our body, thinking of it as an afterthought, something that will just follow in suit for as long as we want/need it to. Our bodies tend to be good sports, putting up with the large doses of caffeine, junk food, and whatever else we put into it on a daily basis, but these habits do catch up with you eventually and often land you in bed, wasting several days in exchange for those all nighters. So just listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs…and yes, I am aware that I should start taking my own advice…

The day had been mentally circled on Brandon Fox’s calendar. April 18 was what he had been running towards for years. But when the first semester journalism senior returned from winter break, he began to feel an unfamiliar pain in his outer left knee.

“All of a sudden I had this huge amount of pain in my left leg,” Fox said. “I had never had this injury before. I didn’t know how to deal with it.”

Fox had been dreaming about the Boston Marathon since he qualified for it in the Philadelphia Marathon in fall 2009 with a time of three hours and 39 seconds, roughly 8.7 MPH.

After anticipating the grueling 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to the finish line in Copley Square for more than two years, Fox was not going to let pain get in his way.

“I had worked my ass off for that number,” Fox said. “I was going to run no matter what.”

Fox emailed head athletic trainer, Amanda Nicoles, at the end of January to ask for help. Nicoles concluded that he had Iliotibial Band Tendonitis. She said she immediately made him a stretching program, gave him Advil to stop the swelling, and advised him to slow down on his workouts.

“We had to shut him down from running for a while,” Nicoles said. “Injuries like that only get worse if you do not get the rest your body needs.”

Fox followed his stretching program religiously, according to Nicoles, and was able to implement running back into his life after a couple of weeks. However, Nicoles urged him not to run as frequently.

“He had been training too much. Running almost 2 ½ to 3 weeks straight with no resting,” Nicoles said. “You need to have complete days of rest to let your body recover.” After about a month, Fox felt better and was able to ease back into a steady running routine.

Fox began running his freshman year of high school for his cross country team and track. Over the years, he has made many close friends through races. One of his favorite things about the sport is the closeness of the running community.

“Running is totally different than any other sport,” Fox said. “The comradery is unbelievable.”

Although many people see running as a stress reliever, Fox said he feels like the sport just adds more anxiety to his life because he is so competitive, particularly when he raises his personal expectations higher than that of his coach’s.

“He is dedicated and he is motivated,” Furey said. “He puts a lot in himself to have the best season he and the team can have.”

On race day, Fox, once again, felt plagued by an injury. He came in 20 minutes over his goal time at 3 hours, 20 minutes because of pain in both of his quads. He had to stop several times during the race and walk out the pain. Fox was discouraged by not meeting his goal, but he was proud of the effort he exerted.

“It was all about getting here to begin with, that was the long journey, the short journey was the 26.2 miles,” Fox said. “I guess some people call that long.”

The motivated runner already has his next goal in site: to come in in the top ten in the eight kilometer GNAC Conference Championships. But first, he said he plans on spending several days icing his muscles.