Exercise
Regular exercise is important for your physical and mental health, and essential for coping with student life. Exercise can be practised in many ways and can be built into your everyday activities.
Move to optimise your studies
When you are physically active, the connections between different parts of the brain improve, allowing your brain to work more efficiently. Cognitive functions such as concentration and memory improve. You find it easier to make decisions, and your creativity increases. Your ability to plan and structure also improves.
It matters less what kind of shape you are in or how you start moving. Even a small change can have a big effect. It could be a brisk walk, a bike ride, or taking the stairs in the tallest building on campus. Remember that the best form of exercise, regardless of type, is the one that actually happens!
Physical Activity and Stress
When you engage in regular physical activity, your body becomes better at handling stress — it learns not to react as strongly. When we exercise, the hormone cortisol is released, a hormone often associated with stress. After cardiovascular exercise, cortisol levels drop below their initial level, and the more you train, the more these levels will decrease — both after your workouts and in response to other stressful situations.
Some tips for getting started:
- Don’t sit still for too long Take small breaks to move throughout the day, even if it’s just standing up and stretching for a few minutes.
- Increase your everyday movement Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and walk instead of taking the bus.
- Move outdoors when possible Daylight helps improve your sleep. Take a short walk in the morning as a break from your studies, perhaps during a class break or at lunchtime.
- Do muscle strengthening activities Include muscle‑strengthening activities (strength training) a couple of times a week. This can mean lifting weights at the gym or at home, but it can also involve using your own body weight, such as push‑ups, squats, lunges, crunches, or planks.
- Adjust your exercise to how you feel If you are sick or exhausted, avoid intense training. Focus on resting more and taking gentle walks instead.
- Take it easy at the beginning Increase your training gradually and let your body adapt step by step to prevent injuries and give your tissues time to adjust to the increased exercise load.
- Choose activities that you enjoy Try to find a type of exercise that you like and feel comfortable with. This increases the likelihood that it will work for you in the long run.
Last updated: 2026-03-04