Health Education
offerings
vegetarian cooking
workshop
Tuesdays 4:00-5:30 p.m.
April 30"-May 14*
University Health Center, Cafeteria
Free to uo students, call 346-4456 to
sign up.
Partake in the preparation and enjoy
ment of simple, fresh and delicious
vegetarian meals. Expand your repetoir
of recipes and cooking skills.
Quit Kit
Quitting tobacco is the healthiest move
you an make! Pick up a "quit kit' from a
Health Center practitioner or from the
Health Ed Office.
Quit Smoking
Tuesday 4:00-5:30 p.m.
April i8
info session with quit strategies and sup
port.
CPU Certification
Tuesdays, April 9,30 & May 14
5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Health Center Cafeteria
Heart saver course.
Register at 346-2770.
Free Cholesterol
Screening
Every Tuesday 9:30 -11:30 mi.
UO Health Center, Health Education Office
Simply drop by, no appointment necessary
To register for or to learn more
about these workshops, check
out the University Health Center's
Web site at http://healthed.uore
gon.edu. You can also call 346
4456 or stop by the Peer
Health Education Office on the
first floor of the University Health
Center.
spring 2002
Health Information Tables
at the Rec Center
Wednesdays
3:00-5:00 P.M.
April 17:
Humor
May 1:
Sleep
May 15:
Consentual sex
May 29:
Sun & Skin
“The Search for Sleep”
By Jessica Sou th u ’ick
You are driving down a stretch of
highway after dark. Slowly, your
eyes begin to blink and eventually
close. They open just in time and
you barely manage to stay on the
road. Badly shaken, you make it
home on adrenaline and terror and
throw yourself into bed.
Does this scenario sound famil
iar? You may be suffering from
sleep deprivation. I am a fellow
member of the vast group of people
who walk around with constant
dark circles under our eyes and a
serious craving for an intravenous
caffeine drip. So, I decided to find
out how I could improve my sleep.
As it turns out, there is a large
wealth of information about sleep
deprivation and sleeping disorders.
While filing through the Peer
Health Education Office in the
Health Center, I found various pam
phlets and handouts, as well books
that focus on sleep. I also found out
that I am not alone in my weari
ness. According to “Insomnia” an
article in the Clinical Reference
Systems, it is estimated that one in
three adults suffer from insomnia at
some point in the year.
I also spoke with Jolene Siemsen,
a Nurse Practitioner in the Health
Center. She said that most students
she sees with sleeping problems
complain about a variety of symp
toms, such as waking early, not
falling back asleep and poor quality
of sleep. I was reassured to find out,
both from Siemsen and my reading,
that sleeping troubles can often be
cured by simple daily changes.
• Avoid caffeine after noon. Depend
ing on how it affects you, caffeine
ingested after noon can still affect
your ability to sleep.
• Quit nicotine. Another stimulant,
nicotine can also be disruptive to
sleep. By quitting tobacco a person
might find that he or she sleeps
much more soundly.
• Exercise early. Body temperature is
really important while trying to
sleep, and exercising raises your
body temperature. This can keep
you awake, so morning is the best
time for physical exercise.
Sleep hygidne is a concept that
Siemsen highly recommended. It
states that ideally we keep regular
sleep hours (My policy of a lam
bedtime one night and 10pm the
next reduces sleep quality). Also,
we need to keep our bedroom a
comfortable, safe and dark space.
By focusing on the bedroom as a
place of rest, our minds become
used to the idea that we will fall
asleep when we lie down. Avoid
doing homework and other day
time activities in bed. It should he*
reserved for sleep.
One cause of disordered sleeping
that Siemsen mentioned is that oh*
depression or anxiety. Often, when
a student comes in with complaints
of tossing and turning, the underly
ing cause is mental anxiety or slight
depression. In this case, a tempo
rary sleeping aid might be recom
mended, in addition to efforts at
managing life’s stress.
Most college students do not suf
fer from serious sleep disorders,
such as sleep apnea. But anything
that prevents a person from sleep
ing can be irritating and detrimen
tal to other areas of life. Grades can
suffer, social life can suffer. Worst
case scenario is that you could also
hurt someone else by driving while
sleep deprived.
If you feel like you are in desper
ate need of sleep, but are having se
rious problems getting it, keep
these lifestyle factors in mind and
try a few small changes. If problems
continue stop by the Peer Health
Education Office to check out one
our books on sleep, such as Sleep
Right in 5 Nights.or schedule an ap
pointment with a medical practi
tioner in the Health Center at 346
2770. Do yourself a favor and work
towards sleeping better.
A Student’s Herbal First Aid Kit
Bjj Nikki Fancher
Whether because of late night studying or all
night partying, the college experience is
wrought with special health concerns. Luckily,
there are many herbal supplements that can
help manage our bodily reactions to the crazy
life of a university student. This first-aid kit is
intended to give a basic understanding of the po
tential benefits and uses of four important herbs.
Each of these herbal supplements is available at
the Health Center’s pharmacy. Call 346-4454 for
prices and pharmacy hours.
St.John’s Wort
Hypericum perforatum
Uses: Used extensively in Germany as an alterna
tive to Prozac, St. John’s wort is generally used in
the United States as a gentle mood elevator. Other
less common uses include; headache, muscle pain,
loss of apetite, sleep disturbances. It can cause al
lergic skin reactions, gastrointestinal symptoms
and possible cataracts.
Echinacea
Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida,
Echinacea purpurea
Uses: Echinacea is a helpful supplement for
boosting the immune system and for aiding the
body in fighting off of microbial infections. It is im
portant not to overuse Echinacea, as one may be
come immune to its effects.
Ginseng
Panax ginseng
Uses: This famously energizing herb has been
taken to improve abstract thinking, speed up reac
tion time, and boost resistance to viral infections.
In Chinese medicine, it is also considered a remedy
for digestive problems, vomiting, and bloody spu
tum, although its effectiveness for these purposes
remains unverified.
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba
Uses: Ginkgo may improve blood flow to most
tissues and organs including the brain, often
leading to increased memory. Although used
mostly by the college population as an overall
study aid, by increasing circulation, Ginkgo may
be beneficial for reducing cold hands and feet.
Herbal Resources in the Peer
Health Education Office:
“Review of Natural Products” newsletter
Websites: www.herbmed.org
www.bookoflierbs.org
Spring 2002
Contributing Writers and Peer Health Educators
Peer Health Educators: Angela Arnold, Laurel Conley, Ted Dervin, Nikki Fancher, Lindsey Harris, Kate Mahaffey, Morgan Pace, Amy Pape, Jessica
Southwick.
Photos: Annie Dochnahl
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Paid Advertising
Health Hi-Lights, Spring
2002
1
I FPEP
ThP
1 The University Health Center is par
Itidpating in a federal program FPEP,
Family Planning Expansion Project.
I This program allows the Health Center
to provide men and women FREE fami
Ily planning services, birth control and
reproductive health care.
I For more Information on how to
qualify for this program, stop by the
I Health Center or call 346-2770 or check
our website at
http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu