Mental Health and Wellbeing Support and Resources for Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs): Physical Wellbeing, Mental Wellbeing, and Academic Performance

Research has consistently show that there is a clear link between physical wellbeing and academic performance and achievement. It can be easy to neglect your physical wellbeing due to pressures of time; workload; or because you feel it isn’t important enough to prioritise right now. However, this can result in a significant reduction in the quality and quantity of the work you produce. Studies have reported that PGR students report long hours at their desks or labs – without sufficient breaks; adequate levels of exercise; healthy food and hydration – resulting in the development of chronic pain conditions; weight gain; heart problems and headaches.

As a result, your physical wellbeing cannot be neglected without resulting in a negative impact. Your brain is part of your body and is influenced by how you treat and look after your body. 

Exercising your body has been shown to improve brain function and academic performance – while you may be concerned that the time taken to exercise will result in you getting less done, the evidence indicates that you will be more productive and will complete better quality work because you have exercised.

Taking the time to prepare healthy food may seem like a distraction when you can pick up snack food easily – but this will show up in your ability to think; solve problems; absorb new information; and maintain energy and motivation. Eating sugary and fatty foods can also result in you experiencing spikes and dips in your energy levels, that undermine your ability to work across the day.

If your blood sugar drops you might feel tired; irritable; and depressed. Eating regularly and choosing foods that release energy slowly will help to keep your sugar levels steady. Slow-release energy foods incl., wholegrain pasta; rice; oats; bread and cereals; nuts and seeds.

• Eating breakfast gets the day off to a good start.

• Try eating smaller portions spaced out more regularly throughout the day.

• Avoid large amounts of foods which make your blood sugar rise and fall rapidly, such as sweets, biscuits, sugary drinks and alcohol.

Your brain is about 70% water, and we need to top it every day – dehydration causes tiredness. Just a 2% water loss affects mental functioning so if you don’t drink enough fluid, you may find it difficult to concentrate or think clearly.

• It’s recommended that you drink between 6-8 glasses of fluid a day. Water is a cheap and healthy option. Cold water hydrates fastest.

• Tea, coffee, juices and smoothies all count towards your intake – but be aware that these may also contain caffeine or sugar.

Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it will give you a quick burst of energy, but if you consume too much of it then it may make you feel anxious and depressed; disturb your sleep (especially if you have it before bed); or give you withdrawal symptoms if you stop suddenly. Moderate caffeine intake, however, is not associated with any recognised health risk – three 8 oz. cups of coffee (250 milligrams of caffeine) per day is considered a moderate amount of caffeine. Six or more 8 oz. cups of coffee per day is considered excessive intake of caffeine.

Looking after your physical wellbeing is very important for your mental wellbeing. Research among postgraduate research students has shown that sleep quality; physical activity; and substance use were strong predictors for mental wellbeing – in particular, unhealthy diets (incl., high levels of saturated fat and processed food) is linked to poor mental health.

Research has also shown that physical activity and exercise can improve mood; reduce stress and anxiety; and help prevent mental health problems – both high intensity exercise (incl., HIIT, running, weightlifting, etc.) & low intensity activity (incl., swimming, walking, etc.) can be extremely beneficial to your mental health and wellbeing.

• Don’t aim for perfect physical wellbeing – try instead for as healthy as possible right now. Creating an idealised vision of what perfect healthy behaviour would look like and then failing to meet it can result in frustration; disappointment; and loss of motivation. Try for good wellbeing – but accept the reality of your current circumstances.
• Take small achievable steps. Start by making 2 or 3 small, positive changes and integrate them into your day. Once they have become habit, you can look to add more - gradually building a healthier lifestyle.
• Create a daily and weekly structure that supports healthy behaviours. If you regularly exercise at the same time every day or week, then it will become a habit and be much easier to maintain.
• Recruit allies to help you. Having other people who can encourage you and remind you why you wanted to be healthier can help you to stay motivated.
• Use snacks as a way to ensure you are eating 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. 
• Keep a water bottle with you at all times, and refill it throughout the day.
• Use the natural rhythm of your work to prompt you to leave your desk and go outside. When you feel your energy dipping or your mind feeling tired, take a break and step out into the fresh air.
• Eat breakfast, and then eat regularly throughout the day. Eating breakfast has been shown to improve performance and wellbeing. If you find it difficult to eat breakfast, begin with something you find easy to tolerate (fruit) and gradually build up your ability to eat first thing.

If something doesn’t work – remember not everything works for everyone! This isn’t a sign you should give up – just a sign you should try something else.

Source 

Summarised from 'The Wellbeing Thesis' - An online resource for postgraduate research students to support your wellbeing, learning and research - https://thewellbeingthesis.org.uk/ 

Research has shown sport and physical activity can improve our physical and mental wellbeing, and the Active Wellbeing Programme is here to help students with:

• Integration into University life.
• Improving mental wellbeing and confidence.
• Improving physical health.
• Meeting new people and making friends.
• Learning about the importance of exercise and nutrition, and how this can help with improved mood, sleep, and concentration.

The Active Wellbeing Programme is a sport and physical activity programme funded by Student Services. The aim of the programme is to help and empower students health and wellbeing through sport and physical activity and enhance their student experience. The programme is for students at the University of Hull who may feel anxious, stressed, lonely or need more support integrating sport and physical activity in their daily routine to help with their studies. Active Wellbeing programmes are 5 or 10 weeks in length and incorporate sport, fitness or a combination of both. Each programme is completely bespoke to the student.

Students cannot self-refer onto the Active Wellbeing Programme - if you believe the programme would be helpful, please discuss this with your PGR supervisor.  Ask them to email activewellbeing@hull.ac.uk stating that they believe you would benefit from being enrolled on the programme.