As a university student, constantly juggling academic studies, society commitments, and a social life, all while trying to sleep the recommended eight hours per night often feels overwhelming. When the idea of regular exercise is added to the mix, it seems impossible to balance everything.
Unfortunately, there is a marked indication that university students do not exercise enough, with one study revealing that students’ average time spent sedentary on weekdays was eight hours. Although it can be challenging to make time for exercise, its impact on our health makes it worth prioritising. Regular exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality, cognitive ability, and alleviate stress, all essential aspects of student life.
Many students integrate exercise into their routine by joining one of the university’s many sports societies. I spoke to Django, a fourth-year student, who is a current member of Edinburgh University Windsurf and Surf Society (EUWSC).
“Surfing is great for your mental health,” he tells me. “It gets you out in nature, which I think is better than the gym.” He also emphasises the quality of the physical activity of surfing: “It’s great cardio, and also involves a lot of balance skills,” he explains. Sports societies at Edinburgh are undeniably popular, often boasting hundreds of members. Enjoying exercise communally is extremely helpful to integrate it into a personal routine; you don’t have to plan sessions yourself. The psycho-social aspect of communal exercise has been researched, with studies suggesting that companionship during exercise may reduce perceptions of fatigue and pain, allowing individuals to produce higher exercise outputs.
A concern many students have about joining sports societies, however, is the high membership fees. Hannah, a third-year student, was initially interested in joining the gymnastics club, but was discouraged due to the hefty price tag.
“It was £123 for a whole year membership plus [Pleasance] gym peak membership,” she explains, “I felt that it wasn’t worth it, especially since I wasn’t a beginner.” It’s important to note that the student participation grant can offer up to £300 to eligible individuals who require financial support to join clubs and societies. Hannah does comment on the reasonable value of the student gym membership at Pleasance, though: “The facilities are great, and I love the classes,” she says.
Indeed, Edinburgh’s Pleasance sports complex is renowned for its state-of-the-art sports facilities, which are frequented by national and international athletes, notably including New Zealand’s All-Blacks a few years ago, with the team’s strength and conditioning coach remarking, “We’re always on the road, and this is the best facility we’ve ever had.”
Another popular choice among students—and young people in general—is attending pilates and yoga classes. The physical benefits of these practices, which focus on slow movement, stretching and breathwork, are numerous, improving posture, core strength, mental wellbeing, as well as injury recovery—again, all beneficial to student life.
However, it is important to highlight how unnecessarily costly these classes can be. Though mat pilates classes and yoga tend to be on the more affordable side, reformer pilates classes tend to start at around £30, which arguably makes this form of exercise unsustainable, even if you purchase a ‘class pass.’ One questions whether paying extortionate prices for an aesthetic instagram story of a warmly-lit pilates studio is truly worth it, or if it’s simply just another gimmick, peddled by the ever-capitalistic wellness industry.
Fortunately, the yoga classes provided by Edinburgh University Yoga Society may offer a more suitable alternative, as I am told by Mabel Carter, a current third-year student.
“I think the classes are more affordable, compared to other places in Edinburgh,” she tells me, “but with a university schedule, I can’t fit them in as much as I would like to.” Despite this, Mabel strongly endorses the classes. “I would recommend yoga particularly to students, because it encourages you to take time away from screens, and it’s really important to take time to calm your nervous system,” she says.
Ultimately, finding the time to exercise is not without difficulty; as students, we must make a conscious effort to integrate physical activity into our busy routines. Luckily, the various opportunities and facilities provided by the university are there to support students in doing so. Whether you join a sports club, try your first yoga class, or head to the gym, adding more movement to your daily life is guaranteed to improve both physical and mental well-being.
Image by Mark Chan for The Student