So there you are, sitting in the dungeons of Powell Library with
so much studying to do you feel like you may never leave.
You realize you haven’t had any sort of exercise in
months, and consequently, your body has turned into what feels like
the rotting nutty peanut butter in your mini-fridge at home.
You tell yourself it’s time to get in shape, but that
daunting stack of homework and other responsibilities ““ which
for some include boozing, PlayStation 2 and Gilligan’s Island
reruns ““ have taken over.
The unfortunate result of this all- too-common scenario is a
downward spiral in fitness and well-being.
Let’s face it, unless you’re consistently involved
in some sort of competitive sport or athletic activity, the college
campus lifestyle is not the healthiest.
A combination of stress, Easy Mac dinners and lack of sleep is
extremely taxing on one’s physical health.
But most of us don’t consider the effects this lifestyle
can have on our mental well-being, and consequently our academic
performance.
This inactive lifestyle can contribute to mood disturbances,
depression, insomnia, lowered self-confidence and academic
burnout.
In fact, studies show that an active lifestyle can be used to
help treat existing conditions of depression, work fatigue and can
even help manage PMS!
There are several medical explanations for this phenomenon.
Mainly, exercise increases levels of certain chemicals in the
brain such as endorphins and adrenaline. These chemicals have been
proven to maintain a sense of well-being and contribute to the
so-called runner’s high.
Exercise can also be used as an effective tool to prepare
one’s body for a long bout of necessary studying.
Working out before activities that require you to sit still can
help to effectively get rid of that distracting fidgeting you find
yourself doing while studying or trying to sleep.
But what qualifies as exercise? Any physical activity that gets
your heart rate up for at least thirty minutes will suffice.
(Insert your own sexual innuendo here.)
The easiest and most time-effective way to exercise involves a
resource you already pay for: the Wooden Recreation Center. And
come spring, the rooms for cardiovascular exercise and weight
training will be about three times the size of the existing
one.
The Wooden Center also offers a list of classes such as yoga,
windsurfing, tennis or the ever-popular Guts, Butts &
Thighs.
The schedules for these fitness classes can be found on
www.recreation.ucla.edu.
Even with a busy schedule, a workout can be squeezed in by using
the Wooden Center’s facilities to leave a set of workout
clothes in a locker and showering in the locker room with a towel
the center provides.
You can stop by the gym for a quick workout, then swiftly
freshen up and change back into your Clark Kent outfit to continue
with the rest of your day.
And during finals when you are really pressed for study time,
most treadmills have bookholders so you can get in some quick
exercise while reviewing a book or notecards at the same time!
Those who prefer outdoor activities will be lucky to find
themselves in Los Angeles, one of the country’s most unique
geographic locations.
There are beautiful oceanside hiking trails about a 10-minute
drive west down Sunset Boulevard at Will Rogers State Park in the
Santa Monica Mountains.
The slopes for skiing and snowboarding are conveniently within
an hour-and-a-half drive from UCLA.
And lastly, ample miles of jogging trails run just along the
perimeter of our campus.
So the next time you’re bogged down and contemplating
nuking another burrito, try some quick exercise.
This is one high you want to get addicted to.
Samimi is a first-year medical student at the UCLA David
Geffen School of Medicine and a writer for The Diagnosis, an
organization comprised of UCLA medical students. The Diagnosis is
coordinated by Daniel Zaghi, a second-year medical student. Send
questions to dzaghi@media.ucla.edu.