The Physical Issues You Didn’t Know You Were At Risk Of When Pushing To Finish Your PhD

** In Collaboration**

It’s no secret to any student that studying for a PhD can take a severe toll on mental health. The psychological struggles of students have been coming to the fore for years now, and they’re finally getting the attention they deserve. Go figure that high-stress levels and insane workloads are making people pretty miserable. The chances are that you even make an effort at self-care in an attempt to stop the same thing from happening to you. Well done, wise student. Your small efforts here could be the things which are keeping you above the water.

But, even the most switched on students may fail to consider the impact PhDs can have on physical health. That’s right; the problems don’t stop with your mind. Your body is at significant risk as you study too, and we’re going to look at why.

Lack of sleep can compromise your immune system

When you’re pushing to finish your PhD, it’s easy to throw sleep out of the window. That’s obviously not good for your mental health. Did you know, though, that not sleeping enough also leaves physical health at risk? For one, an exhausted body isn’t going to be able to fight bugs and diseases the way you might like. In short; not sleeping will leave your immune system shot. Not sleeping enough can also lead to severe issues like obesity and heart disease. If you didn’t have an incentive before, let your body dictate your need to put studies away at a reasonable time. That PhD won’t do you any good if you don’t live to enjoy it, after all.

Stress can trigger all manner of conditions

Whenever we talk about stress, we do so with regards to its impact on our minds. But, it’s worth noting that increased stress levels can also cause flare-ups of health conditions. These range from headaches to heart disease and are well worth keeping in mind. Stress can even wreak havoc on your skin, with psoriasis symptoms notoriously worsening when high stress levels come into play. This is as good a reason as any to develop study schedules which ensure you’re always finished ahead of a deadline. That way, you’ll be able to manage your workload and keep stress at bay throughout your years of study.

Lack of exercise can be evil on your body

What PhD student seriously takes the time to exercise? Not many of them, that’s for sure. But, extended periods with little movement can cause nightmares for your body. Like most of the issues on this list, not moving enough leaves you susceptible to heart disease and weight gain. Not exercising for the duration of your studies can also lead to issues like muscle weakness and even back pain. And, there’s no excuse for it when there are now plenty of easy desk exercises. Before you lock yourself away for days without moving from your chair, make sure you’re armed with at least a few exercises to keep your body in shape.