The Office of Health Promotion and Education (HPE) offer tools and techniques to help you reduce stress, find balance and stay well.

It takes more than an apple a day and we believe one key to well-being is in the practice of self-care.  To practice self-care effectively, you need to listen to your internal “wise voice” (referred to as gut feeling, instinct, spirit etc. )

According to Penn students, the health issues that most often impact academic performance are stress, sleep and common infectious diseases like colds and flu (Penn Health and Wellness Survey, 2010.) All of these issues are interconnected and solutions to one often benefit the others. For example, managing stress often helps you sleep better and restorative sleep positively affects your immune system.

The frenetic lifestyle of a typical student can make “self-care” challenging.  In the interest of time and “fitting it all in,” many of us disregard basic physical and emotional cues such as hunger, fatigue and distress.  Instead, we rely on the external world and our schedules to tell us how we feel and what we need. Multitasking teaches us to divide our attention instead of learning to ‘pay attention.’ 

Too often our thoughts become repetitive and focus on the past (regret) or in the future (worry, anxiety) creating the illusion that we are being productive and “managing” our lives.  Learning how to be in the present (“mindful”) allows you to connect to your wise voice. It is simple, efficient, unique to you, and like our breath, it is always with us.

We believe once you operate from this authentic center, you start to make decisions that best serve you, physically, emotionally and mentally.

To learn more about HPE’s services and programs for self-care, see http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/shs/stressreduction.php

or contact Sandi Herman, Health and Wellness Educator @ sandrah3@upenn.edu

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