Students are very vulnerable to many different health issues.

Knowing what they are, how to avoid them, and how to treat them will help you stay healthy in college. Here are seven common issues to be aware of:

7 Common Health Issues Faced by Students

Being a college student comes with many risks. You’re new to the whole ‘adult thing.’ Knowing how to navigate this scary world alone can be quite a challenge.

From now on, you have to be the sole caregiver for yourself. Because of this, you should eat well, do your best in school, budget, as well as take care of your health.

The latter, however, comes as a challenge to many young people. Unfortunately, as a social group, students are very prone to numerous diseases.

Here are only seven of the most common health issues faced by students.

1. Cold

A box of tissues
The last thing you want to stop you from studying is a cold

Of course, among many students the most common health issue has always been the common cold. This infection is usually spread by inhaling.

Because of this, it’s hard to contain the illness when it appears, like in… let’s say, the classroom. The symptoms of a regular cold are well-known.

Those are sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, and sometimes fever. These symptoms are easy to spot and often ignored.

First, try to avoid any contact with your peers and stay home. The best solution here is to have lots of rest and warm liquids.

2. Flu

A woman being handed a thermometer
Make sure to keep your hands clean you don’t want to get sick

You may not realize the difference between a cold and the flu during the first days of onset. Yet, one is much more serious than the other.

In fact, people can die from the flu if it’s not taken seriously. The flu is also highly contagious. So, once you think you might have it, stop socializing with other people and stay in bed.

It’s the perfect time to catch up on much needed rest, have all of your assignments or order essay sent to you to work on from home, and focus on recovering. Also, it’s best to call a doctor and see what, if any, treatment you should have.

3. Depression

A woman with her head on a table
With all the burdens that come with college, you may feel down

Depression is widely spread among students of all ages. Teenagers as young as 13 years old are often diagnosed with depression these days.

The causes vary. But, Social media, school pressure, peer pressure, and self-esteem issues are often the cause. Many people can suffer from depression and not know it.

In light of that, it’s important to watch over your mental health and ask for help whenever it’s needed. Only professional psychological help can find the right treatment which will greatly ease the symptoms of depression.

4. Food Poisoning

A person chopping vegetables
Think twice before you eat that questionable sandwich

Students are notoriously bad eaters. They often lack time, experience, or money to cook good food or simply eat healthy.

So, they get by eating cheap street food and lots of snacks. It’s not that all street food is bad, but having a balanced diet is important.

Unfortunately, food poisoning is a frequent companion to many young students. For instance, they eat without a plan or specific diet in mind.

They don’t pay attention to expiration dates and rarely cook fresh food for themselves. As a result, such eating habits can affect the stomach.

A bad stomach is more prone to poisoning and other infections. So, it’s important to eat healthly and on a schedule, if possible.

5. Sprains

A person grabbing their ankle
Be careful before you think about running to class

Interestingly enough, sprains are also very common among students. Why? Well, just look around your campus.

You’ll see dozens of students running around not looking where they’re going. They look at their phones, papers, each other, and anywhere but where they are placing their feet.

In fact, most sprains happen not during exercising but on stairs and pavement. A bad fall can lead to a sprained wrist. A missed step on the stairs can lead to a sprained ankle or even a broken leg.

Sprains may sound like nothing serious, but that’s not always the case. Some bad sprains can even require surgery and a few weeks in a cast.

6. Chickenpox

A person applying ointment to someone
Chickenpox doesn’t just happen to little kids

Many people think that chickenpox happens only during the early years of life. Well, that’s a misconception.

Sure, children are the most common spreaders of chickenpox. However, those who didn’t get this infection in childhood are still prone to getting sick later.

Unfortunately, the later in life you get the disease, the harder it may be on your health. Children take the infection lightly, while adults suffer from high fever and painful blisters for weeks.

Students are very likely to get exposed to chickenpox, as they spend lots of time together in closed environments, like classrooms and dorms. Due to this, it’s hard to contain the infection.

7. Chronic Stress

A person with their head laying on a book
Don’t forget to take a break and breath

We can’t ignore stress as a common health issue among most students. College years can be fun and exciting, for sure. However, they also bring a lot of new stress factors that can come with additional pressure.

Not many young people have the mechanisms to cope with such stresses. Some begin to suffer from chronic stress that affects all spheres of their lives, including productivity and physical and mental health.

Chronic stress can become the precursor of many other health issues, such as heart disease, depression, diabetes, obesity, etc. So take care of your mental health and set the right priorities.

You might even think: “it would just be easier to pay someone to do my homework for me…”, while you spend some time addressing other health issues that arise during that time.

Your peace of mind should be just as important, if not more, than good grades.