By: Samantha Moore
Going back to school in midlife is different than going back to school a few years after getting your first undergraduate degree. Nonetheless, it’s admirable to pursue education without letting your age stop you. After all, you can never be too old to learn new things. You might be considering school to pursue a postgraduate degree. You could also be going back to school to improve your career prospects or you may just want to learn more.
In reality, over 17% of part-time undergraduate students are 35 years old or older, with the percentage increasing when analyzing this demographic’s attendance in two-year institutions. However, it does come with obstacles. You could have a family that you’re already looking after. You could be holding down a job. You could also be more vulnerable to getting sick.
This is where a health and wellness plan comes in. A health and wellness plan or program is essentially an initiative that helps you maintain or improve your well-being through your diet, exercise routine, stress management, and illness prevention.
You’ll be subjected to stress and late nights as a student. Another source of stress for being a student is the cost of being one, so this is something you have to give utmost consideration to. If you wish to see an example of this, click for more info. As such, having a health and wellness program may be for you. Here are some reasons you might want to consider to know if you need a health and wellness plan:
It Enables You to Be Healthy and Perform Well Academically
One thing that young students and those coming back to school have in common is that they need to be healthy to perform well in school. To remain attentive in school, you’ll need enough sleep and a proper diet with all the nutrients your body and mind require. However, increased attentiveness isn’t the only benefit of leading a healthy lifestyle. It may also lead to better memory retention and recall, higher energy levels, better concentration, and more.
With a health and wellness program, you’ll help keep yourself healthy to perform well in school.
It Helps You To Avoid Getting Sick
When you’re older, you’re more vulnerable to getting sick. Then when you become a student, the added stress that comes with it will make you even more vulnerable. Thus, it’s crucial that you handle stress and workload well. You can achieve this by managing your time well and making sure you’re healthy as you’ll be more productive when you are.
By having a health and wellness plan, you’ll easily maintain your health and manage stress better, allowing you to be productive. Your health and wellness plan will help you prepare your body for the stress and workload you’ll encounter as a student. As a result, you’ll be active in the classes you’re enrolled in, so you won’t fall behind in the coursework.
It’s Financially Beneficial
Health care costs a lot, and that’s not even an understatement. Even if you’re insured, hospitalization is still expensive and can cause significant financial distress. It may even result in a lower income as it will disrupt your ability to work.
This worsens when you’re both working and studying as you’re already dealing with your tuition. Furthermore, falling behind in school can mean staying around longer and paying for make-up classes. Therefore, by maintaining your health, you’ll be able to avoid getting sick, needing to be hospitalized, and dealing with medical bills.
It Will Help You Manage Stress
Stress management is a vital factor that affects your health. Fortunately, a health and wellness plan includes this. It’s very important for maintaining your health as it helps your body adapt to stress, particularly those that come with being a student. Poor stress management methods can result in chronic stress and serious health problems. To avoid this, it’s worth considering taking measures to avoid it, such as having a health and wellness plan that includes stress management.
Conclusion
Being a student is stressful and demanding. It’s especially more challenging when you’re vulnerable to illness and have other responsibilities to manage, like taking care of your family. Nonetheless, it’s never too late to learn something new and/or pursue further education even at your age. Therefore, you must care for your health so you can manage the stress and reap the benefits that come with going back to school midlife. Hopefully, with the reasons enumerated here, you are now armed with more information to help you consider whether or not a health and wellness plan is for you.
About the Author
Samantha Moore is a health care professional and a freelance writer. She’s fond of writing blog posts related to health issues and awareness. Samantha likes to work out in the gym during her vacant time.