Faculty Wellness Messages for Students

Hi everyone,

This is a friendly reminder to take a few moments to breathe deeply today.

Why? Taking time to focus on breathing only and learning to use our all of our lung capacity has a shockingly large impact on our health and wellness.

According to this video entitled 6 Things That Happen to You When You Practice Deep Breathing Everyday learning to deep breathe can have positive effects on our heart and circulatory system, reduce stress, remove/detoxify carbon dioxide from our bodies, aid in better sleep, create natural pain relief, and increase our emotional happiness and mental clarity.

Challenge: Watch and complete this video entitled 3-minute Mindful Breathing Meditation (Relieve Stress)I wonder how much better you might feel after one day of this challenge? Deep breathing a few times per week? 5-6 times per month? 20-30 times during the quarter?

Examples: These videos do a great job showing you what deep breathing looks like in the body.

1. Deep Breathing Exercises for Beginners by Michelle Kenway

2. ​Reducing Stress Through Deep Breathing by Dr. Neda Gould

Let me know how focusing on deep breathing impacts you, and if you are comfortable with me sharing your experiences with the rest of the class.

Take care,

(insert faculty name here)

Hi everyone,

This is a friendly reminder to be aware of your posture and stand up and stretch today.

Why? Being aware of your posture and moving your body will help your muscles operate at their highest potential, helping you stay healthy enough to complete your studies, work, and daily activities. Focusing now on your postures and muscles can keep you in your chosen profession longer.

According to this TEDEd (video), The Benefits of Good Posture, “Poor posture inflicts extra wear and tear on your joints and ligaments, increasing the likelihood of accidents, and makes some organs, like your lungs, less efficient. Researchers have linked poor posture to scoliosis, tension headaches, and back pain, though it isn't the exclusive cause of any of them. Posture can even influence your emotional state and your sensitivity to pain. So there are a lot of reasons to aim for good posture.”

Challenge: Watch and complete this 8-minute video by Nicholas Nguyen entitled 6 Best Stretches & Exercises to Fix Desk Posture.

I wonder how much better you might feel after one day of this challenge? Doing the stretches a few times per week? 5-6 times per month? 20-30 times during the quarter?

Let me know how focusing on your posture and stretching impacts you, and if you are comfortable with me sharing your experiences with the rest of the class.

Take care,

(insert faculty name here)

Hi everyone,

This is a friendly reminder to be sure to drink at least 6 or more glasses of water today.

WHY? Being properly hydrated can help you be a better student by helping your brain to properly function in memory, emotions, multi-tasking, and bodily functions.

According to this TedTalk (video), What Would Happen If You Didn’t Drink Water?

“Increased dehydration can cause notable drops in energy, mood, skin moisture, and blood pressure, as well as signs of cognitive impairment. A dehydrated brain works harder to accomplish the same amount as a normal brain, and it even temporarily shrinks because of its lack of water.”

CHALLENGE: Here's a water-tracker worksheet to help you stay on track. I wonder how much better you might feel after one day of this challenge? One week? One month? The whole quarter?

Let me know how drinking more water impacts you, and if you are comfortable with me sharing your experiences with the rest of the class.

Take care,

(insert faculty name here)