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12 October 2020
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Story Arina Engelbrecht
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Photo Supplied
Arina Engelbrecht from Organisational Development and Employee Well-being believes physical activity has a number of benefits for one’s health, including stress relief.
Being physically active plays a big role in preventing the development of mental-health problems and in improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental-health problems.
Treatment for depression
Physical activity can be an alternative treatment for depression. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with medication and/or psychological therapy. It promotes all kinds of changes in the brain, including neural growth, reduced inflammation, and new activity patterns are formed that promote feelings of calm and well-being. It releases endorphins – powerful chemicals in the brain that energise your spirit and make you feel good.
Physical activity can be very effective in relieving stress. Research in adults has found that physically active individuals tend to have lower stress levels compared to individuals who are less active. It also leads to improved sleep. When a person sleeps better and feels more rested, overall quality of life improves. They cope better with daily life stressors.
Reduce Alzheimer's risk
Regular physical activity can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by up to 50%. It can also slow down further deterioration in those who have already started to develop cognitive problems. It stimulates the brain’s ability to maintain old connections as well as to make new ones.
A study asked people to rate their mood immediately after periods of physical activity (e.g. going for a walk/run, cycling, doing housework) and periods of inactivity (e.g. reading a book or watching television). Researchers found that participants felt more content, more awake, and calmer after being physically active compared to after periods of inactivity.
In conclusion, people who are physically active feel a sense of well-being, feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives.
“Being physically active not only changes your body, it changes your mind,
attitude, and your mood.” – Arina Engelbrecht
Little change in load shedding schedules
2015-07-25
According to Anton Calitz, Electrical Engineer at the University of the Free State, there are few or no changes to the load shedding schedules for the rest of July 2015; daily power cuts by Eskom are a given.
To stay up to date with the latest load shedding schedules, visit GridWatch’s webpage at http://loadshedding.news24.com.
Once classes have started again, lecturers should plan as if load shedding is a given. Venues without emergency power supply should not be reserved during scheduled load shedding.
The university is working hard to equip venues with emergency power. Check the list of venues already equipped with emergency power.
The following tips may help to manage load shedding in the classroom:
- For your lectures: Carry a laptop with your slides (or have hard copies). In this way, you can teach students, even if you cannot project your slides.
- In the event of load shedding, in venues equipped with emergency power, you will be able to continue with classes. All electronic equipment, except for air conditioners, will switch to emergency power, and there should be no problems ? lectures should be continued as normal.
- If emergency power is not available in an academic venue, and the lecturer is unable to continue without electronic equipment, he/she may dismiss the class.
Please contact the office of the Student Academic Services on +27(0)51 401 7345 to reserve a venue for an ad hoc class. The helpline for academic venues from Monday to Friday between 07:45 and 16:30 is +27(0)51 401 7911. Protection Services can be contacted on +27(0)51 401 2911 for after-hours assistance.