PHYSICAL HEALTH

 

Physical health is just as important as our mental health, especially at university. Healthy eating, exercise, and getting into a good sleep routine all improve our physical health, and can often positively impact our mental health too. Bonus!

 

Healthy eating

Healthy eating at uni can be a struggle, especially when you're worrying about your budget. Shopping at cheaper supermarkets such as ALDI and LIDL can help to ensure your money goes further and that you are able to factor in healthy food into your weekly food shop, as can using your NUS Totum discount card. Buy your fruit and veg seasonally when it is cheapest, try swapping out some of your snacks for healthier, more energy-boosting alternatives, and make sure you're drinking enough water too. 

Here are some of our favourite recipes:

- Easy Vegan Falafel 

- Cous Cous Salad

- Energy Balls

- Sweet Potato and Jackfruit Curry

- Creamy tomato risotto

- Pretty much any of these soups

- Summer Veg Stew

- Coconut Macaroons 

- Yummy vegan desserts, (here's our adapted, simplier choccy chip cookies recipe)

 

EXERCISE

If you're holed up in the studio all day then getting just half an hour of exercise can really work wonders on your health. Consider swapping the U1 for a bike and cycle to uni (we wrote a super handy guide here to help get you on your bike) for a fun and healthy commute. 

Here are some options for you to help you get active:

SportBU

SportBU is located next door on the Bournemouth University campus, and offers AUB students a discounted membership for the academic year. Membership gives you unlimited access to the gym and the full timetable of classes, as well as health and fitness support. Click here to join. 

 

Give It A Go Sports

AUBSU has its own program of sports that are casual, friendly, and require no long-term commitment. The sports on offer change regularly, giving you the opportunity to try out a whole range of activities. Best of all, the sessions cost just £2 each! Find out more here. 

 

Sports Clubs

We have a range of student-led sports clubs, like Netball, Climbing, Surf and Volleyball. These are all friendly, inclusive and open to alll abilities. They're a great way to make friends, while getting active, and you never know, you might find yourself competiting for AUB in a competition by the time you graduate! Or just looking forward to a weekend kick about. You do you. 

 

Our favourite places for local walks:

BCP have made a tree trail around the lower, central and upper gardens. You can download the trail onto your phone and find out all about the local wildlife as you explore. 

Other places of beauty include Hengistbury Head, Compton Acres (they do charge but it's a hidden gem!), Talbot Heath (right next to uni) and our gorgeous beaches: Branksome, Boscombe, Alum Chime and Fisherman's Walk are all good spots and tend to be less crowded than Bournemouth beach. 

 

Cold Water Swiming:

The process of submerging yourself in natural bodies of cold or even icy water, with the purpose of achieving positive therapeutic and physical side-effects. 

The in-depth Beginner's Guide To Cold Swimming covers everything about:

  • Cold water swimming and its benefits to the body
  • Top safety and cold swimming checklist for beginners
  • The best go-to places for cold water swimming in the UK 

It also revealed the astounding benefits of cold water swimming to physical and mental health through the 2022 study, which found that participants were 44 times more likely to say outdoor swimming had a “positive impact” on their mental health.