Wellness: What Do I Have to Gain?

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How to Prioritize Wellness While in School

By FY23 Chloe Jacob, BSN, CCRN, RN, AANA Education Committee Student Representative

While rounding on the laboring moms during my recent OB rotation, I noticed this quote by Jay Danzie highlighted in the hallway “Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your trademark.” This quote hit me in a way I did not expect it to. The demands of school are constantly evolving and often grueling. We often think that we need to study all day to succeed. However, when we suffer from lack of sleep, improper nourishment, or mental static, it has a ripple effect and leaves an impact more significant than we intend. We may feel like we must choose to focus on either school or wellness. Understanding the current research about the benefits of prioritizing health, we can shift our thinking and realize how prioritizing wellness and implementing new habits will help us succeed.

What is wellness?

The Global Wellness Institute explains that wellness is often misconstrued and used interchangeably with terms like health, well-being, and happiness. While there are shared elements among them, wellness stands apart by not representing a fixed state of existence, such as being perpetually happy, in excellent health, or in general well-being. Instead, wellness is associated with an active process of mindfulness and decision-making that leads us toward achieving a goal of rounded health and overall well-being.

“But I have to study for an exam, and my DNP project is just starting to come together…”

A group of neuroscientists looked at the brain, and the impact wellness has on neuroplasticity, the ability of your brain to learn, memorize and think clearly. Individuals with higher levels of wellness, including better physical health, mental resilience, and positive social relationships, display enhanced neural plasticity and cognitive abilities.1 Focusing on wellness helps one become more receptive to learning, improve memory consolidation, and better adapt to new information and challenges.

“But how do I implement wellness? Where do I start?” 

Numerous studies have found that exercise significantly reduces stress, anxiety, and depression.2 Individuals who participated in higher levels of physical activity have a lower risk of developing depression than those who are less active.3 Engaging in high-intensity exercise was 1.5x more effective at reducing mild-to-moderate depression and anxiety than standard psychotherapy and medication.4 In fact, all forms of exercise can benefit mental health, although higher-intensity activities produce the most substantial benefits. The impact of exercise and physical activity is overwhelming and can significantly impact mental health.

“OK, but what about eating healthy? I have no time to meal-prep. Does it really make that big of a difference?”

The bacteria in our gut produce and react to GABA, serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine, and melatonin. This is where the gut-brain axis comes into play.5 The neurotransmitters that regulate our mood, sleep cycle, and ability to focus are intertwined with gut health. Keeping our gut healthy by being mindful of our consumption can improve gut health and a healthier gut-brain axis. High intake of processed foods, sugar, and saturated fats increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and stress. In contrast, diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids were linked to better mental health outcomes.6 Adopting a healthy and balanced diet, which promotes a favorable gut microbiota profile, is essential for improving mental well-being.

“So, between meal prepping and exercising, I will likely skimp on sleep…because there are only so many hours in a day…”

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) reports provide evidence-based guidelines that can serve as a benchmark for individuals seeking to improve their sleep quality. The reports highlight the importance of 7-9 hours sleep duration for young adults. In addition, creating good nighttime habits and regular sleep schedules significantly impact sleep quality. Establishing a consistent sleep-wake schedule, including weekends, to promote a well-regulated sleep routine may provide significant benefits. The NSF advises against using electronic devices close to bedtime due to the potential disruption of the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.7 All this is important because sleep plays a role in neuroplasticity, the ability to think clearly, memorize and analyze information. Having a night of adequate sleep is a requisite to excelling in the classroom and daily in clinicals.

Prioritizing Wellness

Cori Stone, a Nurse Anesthesia Resident, also known as @stonesthesia on Instagram, shares her experience and how prioritizing wellness impacted her:

“During the most challenging semester of my didactic coursework, I was pushing myself to study for approximately 12 hours a day. I wasn’t prioritizing sleep, eating healthy, exercising, or really anything other than school at that time. Despite how hard I was working, I still wasn’t performing as well in school as I thought I really should be, given the amount of time I dedicated to studying every day. Before I knew it, I found myself in the emergency room with massive hives all over my body (including my face and neck) from a systemic stress response.

This experience served as a huge wake-up call for me and prompted a major change in my study habits and desire for school-life balance. I began prioritizing sleep and exercise and forcing myself to stop studying when I needed breaks. Instead of studying from dusk until dawn and often not leaving my apartment for a week or two at a time, I made time for things outside of school that brought me peace and joy. Because of these changes I made, I noticed the time I was dedicating to studying was much higher quality. I was no longer completely running on fumes and expecting stellar results. I began performing better in all of my classes, and my stress levels decreased significantly. It took me some time to find this balance, but I’m so grateful I did.

Through adjusting priorities and faculty support, it is possible to maintain a state of wellness in CRNA school without compromising school performance.”

As the Global Wellness Institute explains, wellness is not a state of being- but a lifestyle filled with intentional actions promoting a healthier mind, body, and spirit. This article is not meant to overwhelm you with everything you should be doing or aren’t doing enough. The goal of this article is to highlight the research and benefits intentional living focused on wellness life may bring. We may struggle with doing it all, but we can choose one action today. Implementing a wellness culture into our daily life can improve our emotional, social, and academic success. As we move towards a lifestyle focused on wellness, we can reckon that our smile may become more apparent, our personality can shine brighter, and our encounters with others will become more positive.

References:

  1. Colino FL, Williams CC, Hassall CD, Binsted G, Krigolson OE. The impact of wellness on neural learning systems. Neurosci Lett. 2020;714:134537. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134537
  2. Giurgiu, M, Nissen, R, Müller, G, Ebner-Priemer, UW, Reichert, M, Clark, B. Drivers of productivity: Being physically active increases yet sedentary bouts and lack of sleep decrease work ability. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021; 31: 1921– 1931. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14005
  3. Pearce M, Garcia L, Abbas A, et al. Association Between Physical Activity and Risk of Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry. 2022;79(6):550-559. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.0609
  4. Singh B, Olds T, Curtis R, et al Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviews. British Journal of Sports Medicine Published Online First: 16 February 2023. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-1061954.
  5. Appleton J. The Gut-Brain Axis: Influence of Microbiota on Mood and Mental Health. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018;17(4):28-32.
  6. Taylor AM, Holscher HD. A review of dietary and microbial connections to depression, anxiety, and stress. Nutr Neurosci. 2020;23(3):237-250. doi:10.1080/1028415X.2018.1493808
  7. Ohayon M, Wickwire EM, Hirshkowitz M, et al. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep quality recommendations: first report. Sleep Health. 2017;3(1):6-19. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2016.11.006