Most students have been told hundreds of times they need to get more sleep or take a walk everyday. However, how is an already overloaded student supposed to fit yet more “you’ll be glad you did” things into a day? And is being told to reduce stress just another stressor? Why bother?

Here is the quirkier side of everyday health that shows why you should rest that extra hour, or go that extra mile. You will be glad you did!

Take a Walk to Remember

If you get cold feet when it comes to more vigorous forms of exercise, walking is the answer for you and anyone else who needs a lift. “Taking a walk in nature rests your brain and prepares it for mental activities,” AP Psychology teacher Adam Michels said. “You should avoid taking walks in busy parts of the city because obstacles like cars can disrupt you. However taking walks in places like parks, even if you don’t enjoy it, can help rest and prepare your brain. Two of my favorite places to walk are Land’s End and Golden Gate Park, although Golden Gate Park is much less crowded. There are a lot of mini-parks cropping up in San Francisco. You just need to find a natural place. Even if you are just looking at something green like a potted plant, it can help.” And what is not to enjoy in the shade of Stern Grove or on the banks of Stow Lake?

Despite the rather intimidating thought of being disrupted by a car, don’t shrug off walking as a waste of time amidst homework and studying. According to a Feb. 2011 New York Times article, “A Walk to Remember,” walking can improve your memory by expanding the hippocampus, the part of the brain closely associated with information retention. Next time you have the opportunity to trek home from school, do not hesitate to take advantage of the journey. According to an August 2010 New York Times article, “Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime” when you walk you provide an opportunity for your brain to rest from continual input, allowing it to process the new information presented in your classes. If you spend this time sidetracked by getting news on Facebook or watching Jersey Shore on T.V., you are more likely to lose that knowledge.

Lowell’s Forgotten Class - Lunch

Lowell houses a daunting community of students who have given up their lunch for an extra class or late start, but squeezing in a seventh class while jettisoning time to eat and relax damages one’s learning ability and information retention. Having a first period off should not be your highest priority, even if you assume initially that more sleep is better than a free block in the day. “Scheduling a real lunch is very important, some students have a lunch that isn’t long enough for them to chew their food,” Behavioral Health Counselor Kin Leung said. “They do not have time to recuperate and it will do more damage than good in the long run. The students who do decide to take a lunch return to class not only recovered from earlier classes but reinvigorated.”

At the start of the semester, the lack of free time for lunch can go unnoticed, but the lack of good nutrition and a chance to catch your breath could take a toll as the year progresses. According to The Guardian’s Feb. 2009 article, “If You Only Do One Thing This Week... Take a Break,” the effects of skipping lunch are accumulative, causing your fatigue to worsen over time.

Cat Naps Are Not Just For Cats

Although skipping a lunch period to sleep in a little is not advisable — basically it is a bad idea — finding time to sleep is key to being healthy and happy. According to Leung, students should get at least eight hours a night to keep themselves refreshed and active. However according to a 2011 survey by the Student Body Council, only 7 percent of the student body sleeps more than six hours per night. “Sleep provides you with the mental juices needed to learn and absorb information,” Leung said. “There are very few students who get enough, and cutting down on sleep is actually counter-productive for students’ bodies and studying.”

Sleep also gives people emotional stability and can lessen anxiety and impatience. According to Huffington Post’s Feb. 2011 article “11 Surprising Health Benefits of Sleep,” sleep not only helps prevent depression and poor concentration, but also helps your body recover from stresses from other parts of your day, helping with emotional reliability and lessening anxiety.

Junior Jimmy Chan has a unique solution to catching up on rest; despite his busy lifestyle he utilizes spare minutes during the day. “I suggest students take more naps; it helps you forget about daily stresses,” Chan said. “I sleep on the bus, and it helps me recover from all the problems I encounter at school, and helps me prepare for when I get back home to deal with any new situations, like homework.”

If your height has always been on the short side, you can no longer put responsibility solely on the shoulders of your parent’s genes. Sleep does not only keep you alert and focused — it also helps growth, according to the website of the National Institution of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, (www.ninds.nih.gov). When children and young adults fall into deep sleep it coincides with the release of growth hormones in the body. So snooze for health and you might finally achieve your dream height!

Just Do It

By participating in classes and activities you love, you can enjoy yourself more in school and pleasure is healthy. “I always feel happier when I am doing something I am passionate about, rather than a class I do not feel particularly excited about,” sophomore swimmer Iam Bhisitkul said. “It’s much better to challenge yourself in things you enjoy. I think extra-curricular activities are a good thing, not only because you can compete and have goals, but you can find things you enjoy,”

Playing sports in high school can coincide both with a growth of self-esteem and with increased academic achievements. According to a 2009 study for the Federal Provincial Territorial Sport Committee (www.sportsmatters.ca), students who participate in sports are less likely to take dangerous drugs, commit crimes or cut school, and are more likely to have higher average test scores, GPAs and lower drop out rates.

Sports are not the only helpful extracurricular. According to a College Entrance Examination board study on SAT results, students who play musical instruments on average scored about 11 percent higher than those who do not play music. “The satisfaction I gain from playing music is stronger than the stress added my life from spending an hour a day playing,” sophomore viola player Michelle Tang said. “It is more relaxing than spending an hour just sitting around.”

An organized schedule can reduce the amount of “Oh no! I forgot to think of a funny example for the newspaper today” moments. However while having an enjoyable routine can ground you, it can also lead to a mind on automatic pilot. Do not be afraid to shake it up once in a while, suggests a counselor. “You should start with the small and easy, little things that take five minutes, they will add up over time,” Leung said. “Many kids fall into a routine and forget the reasons behind what they are doing. Doing new things is key to keeping yourself excited and your mind fresh.”

So power walk to eat lunch on a rock in Stern Grove, then get rocked to sleep on the 28 bus line, and remember, all rules are made to be broken.

A version of this article first appeared in the Jan. 27, 2012 print edition of The Lowell.