Modern requirements for the hygiene of mental work of students. Hygiene of mental work, features of physiological reactions during mental work, criterion of the severity of work, fatigue and its characteristics in children. Prevention of these conditions Hygienic basics

There are three types of mental activity. The first includes light mental work: reading fiction, talking with an interesting interlocutor. Such activity can continue for a long time without the appearance of fatigue, since when it is performed, psychophysiological mechanisms function with a low degree of tension.

The second type of mental activity is called “operational thinking”, since it is characteristic of the work of operators and dispatchers. For students, this is repetition of the material covered, solving mathematical problems using a well-known algorithm, translating a foreign text into Russian. In this case, the psychophysiological mechanisms of the brain work with great stress. Effectively, such activities can last 1.5–2 hours.

The third type includes work that is characterized by the highest intensity. This is the assimilation of new information, the creation of new ideas based on old ones. With this type of activity, the most active functioning of the physiological mechanisms that carry out the processes of thinking and remembering occurs.

Experts in mental work hygiene believe that with operational thinking it is advisable to take breaks after 1.5–2 hours, and with the third type of mental activity – after 40–50 minutes. It should be emphasized that thought processes in the brain fade slowly. Therefore, 5-10 minute breaks set aside for rest will not interfere with the effectiveness of subsequent mental work, but will only help restore the energy of brain neurons.

During such a break, it is useful for the body to give physical activity in the form of a walk or a small set of gymnastic exercises. Scientific research has proven the effectiveness of such active recreation. The muscles seem to “recharge” the brain.

Physical environmental factors have a significant impact on the productivity of mental work. It has been established that the optimal air temperature should be 18–22°, and the relative humidity should be 50–70%. A long stay of students in a room with a temperature of 25–27° leads to significant stress on the physiological functions of the body. This negatively affects the quality of work performed, as well as vegetative functions: the activity of the cardiovascular, respiratory and other systems.

For successful mental work, you need to be in a room with normal oxygen levels.

Sanitary and hygienic studies have established that after the first lecture, the content of carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) in the classroom reaches 0.15–0.45%, i.e. it increases 5–15 times compared to the norm. In addition, in classrooms and reading rooms, especially if they are overcrowded, the oxidation of the air doubles, and the concentration of ammonia, carbon monoxide, or carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and a number of other substances harmful to health increases.

All this speaks to the need to ventilate audiences.

The quality of mental activity is also significantly affected by the presence of noise. Typically in classrooms its value is 40–50 dB. According to occupational hygiene data, noise up to 40 dB does not negatively affect the condition of the body; exceeding this indicator reduces the ability to work and has a harmful effect on human health.

Mental hygiene also places demands on clothing. It is important that it fits loosely around the body; the collar of a shirt or sweater should not compress the vessels of the neck (a tight collar impedes the blood supply to the brain).

It is also necessary to control your posture. You should sit with your torso slightly tilted (75–80°) and your head raised, which should be in a straight line with your back.

It is advisable to have a music stand or book stand on the table. Instead of a stand, you can use a stack of books. This will allow you to tilt your torso less and relieve tension in the muscles of the eyeball.

Academician N. S. Vvedensky developed general recommendations that are important for successful mental work.

1. Get involved and work gradually; both after a night's sleep and after a vacation.

2. Choose an individual rhythm of work that is convenient for you.

3. Maintain the usual consistency and systematicity of mental work.

4. Establish a correct, rational alternation of work and rest.

Proper nutrition

The basis of a balanced diet consists of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals obtained from food.

Proteins, or proteins, are of greatest importance for the functioning of the body. They are the structural basis of all cells of the body and ensure their activity. Proteins in the human body are formed from food proteins, which, as a result of digestion, are broken down into amino acids, absorbed into the blood and used by cells. Amino acids are divided into replaceable (they are synthesized in the body) and essential, which come from food. Of the essential amino acids, methionine, lycine and tryptophan are recognized as particularly important. They are found mainly in products of animal origin. Methionine is especially necessary for mental activity. Its highest content is in cottage cheese, eggs, cheese, and meat.

The average body need for protein is 1–1.3 g per kilogram of body weight. For students actively involved in physical education and sports, due to increased energy consumption, the need for protein increases approximately 1.5 times. A student’s daily diet should include proteins of both animal and plant origin. Of the plant proteins, the proteins of soybean, potato, oatmeal, buckwheat, beans, and rice have the greatest value and biological activity.

Carbohydrates are considered the body's main source of energy. In addition, they are necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system, mainly the brain. It has been proven that during intense mental activity, carbohydrate consumption increases. Carbohydrates also play an important role in protein metabolism and fat oxidation, but their excess in the body creates fat deposits.

Carbohydrates come from food in the form of monosaccharides (fructose, galactose), disaccharides (sucrose, lactose) and polysaccharides (starch, fiber, glycogen, pectin), turning into glucose as a result of biochemical reactions. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates, especially sugar, is extremely harmful. Therefore, it is recommended to use more foods containing polysaccharides (porridge, potatoes), fruits and berries as sources of carbohydrates.

The average daily carbohydrate requirement of a student-aged person is 4–5 g per kilogram of body weight. With regular exercise, the body requires more carbohydrates - up to 600 g. It is recommended to introduce 35% of carbohydrates in the form of granulated sugar, honey, jam, and the rest should preferably be replenished with bread, potatoes, cereals, apples, etc.

The energy value of food, or its calorie content, depends on the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates present in it. According to established standards, calorie intake for male students is 3000 kcal per day, for girls – 2600 kcal. When playing sports and physical education, the calorie content of food should increase by approximately 700–1000 kcal, depending on the intensity of the exercise.

It is recommended to eat food hot, at the same hours, 3-4 times a day, which ensures normal digestion. Until recently, it was a popular recommendation to have a fairly large breakfast. However, as a result of long-term observations, it was concluded that the rush of blood to the digestive organs after a hearty meal reduces the blood supply to the brain and skeletal muscles. And this leads to a deterioration in the productivity of mental activity. Therefore, it is most correct to consume 15–20% of the daily calorie intake during breakfast, and make lunch and dinner more satisfying. It is advisable to have dinner at least 1.5–2 hours before bedtime so that the food is digested. If possible, a second breakfast or afternoon snack should be organized in the form of hot tea with sandwiches.

Vitamins are also an essential component of nutrition. Vitamins are part of enzymes, activate metabolism, increase human immunity, mental and physical performance. Most vitamins are not synthesized in the body, so they must be supplied in the required quantities from food.

A sufficient intake of minerals into the body also has a significant impact on human health. It is known that there are up to 60 chemical elements in the human body. According to their quantitative content, they are divided into macro-, micro- and ultra-microelements.

Macroelements include calcium, of which the body contains up to 1000 g, phosphorus – 780, sodium – 100, chlorine – 95, iron – 4.2 g.

Microelements include manganese, zinc, iodine, copper, fluorine, cobalt, etc. Their quantitative content is much less, from grams to hundredths. There are even fewer ultramicroelements in the body - gold, mercury, chromium, etc.

Minerals - regulators of metabolic processes in cells - take part in their construction, in the formation of vital enzymes and hormones.

Maintaining acid-base balance in the body is important for health. Sources of acid radicals (phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine) are foods such as meat, fish, cheese, baked goods, cereals, potatoes, cottage cheese, lard. Alkaline bases, which include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, are found in vegetables, fruits and milk. Thus, some foods cause shifts in our body towards an acidic reaction, while others – towards an alkaline reaction.

Therefore, in order to maintain acid-base balance, a person in his diet must use foods that cause both acidic and alkaline reactions. Physical activity leads to a shift in the internal environment of the body towards an acidic reaction. Taking this into account, students should increase their intake of dairy products and plant products (cabbage, carrots, beets, apples, etc.).

Adequate sleep largely ensures a person’s normal well-being during wakefulness. No wonder the ancient Greek sages said: sleep is the servant of life. Modern science has helped to establish that in the process, energy reserves expended during work are restored, nervous tissue is freed from decay products accumulated in it,

Lack of sleep is harmful to your health. Even partial sleep deprivation reduces brain activity; negatively affects attention, memory, quality of thinking, worsens well-being and mental performance.

Adequate sleep is of particular importance during the session, when students have to master a lot of information. It is then that the student must sleep for at least 8 hours. If sleep is limited to 5–6 hours, this will reduce the ability to assimilate the material and ultimately weaken the body.

Excessive sleep is also harmful. Excessive sleep is not considered beneficial in biological terms, since blood circulation and the functioning of the digestive organs are disrupted. Every student should remember that intense mental work should be stopped 1.5–2 hours before bedtime. Otherwise, the process of falling asleep becomes more difficult, and the sleep itself becomes less sound. The last meal should be no later than 1.5–2 hours before bedtime. It is recommended to go to bed at 23–24 hours, to get up at 7–8 hours.

You should sleep in a comfortable, but not too soft bed, lying on your right side with your legs slightly bent. In this position, the muscles relax best and the body rests.

Before going to bed, you need to ventilate the room, create silence and turn off bright light sources.

A short day of passive rest is useful. Horizontal body position improves cerebral circulation and allows muscles to relax. Daytime sleep, even short-term, perfectly restores performance. Even the ancient sages said that daily soya is beneficial; its duration should be 60 breaths, i.e. approximately 4-5 minutes.

Insomnia can occur with great mental stress and neuroses. You can get rid of this phenomenon through proper organization of your daily routine, regular exercise, and autogenic training.

Night sleep also depends on individual typological characteristics. “Larks” should go to bed early to restore their performance. “Owls,” on the contrary, fall asleep late, but in the morning they like to sleep longer.

Content

Factors that can directly or indirectly affect human health and life expectancy are determined by hygiene. By observing the rules of personal hygiene, a person protects himself from the negative effects of external stimuli. Among the reasons that shape health are: professional, hereditary, environmental, psycho-emotional, lifestyle, nutrition, level of medical care. Find out how to make your life better through proper organization.

The importance of human hygiene

The main task of this science is to study the impact of the environment on the vitality and working capacity of the population. The environment is usually understood as the full range of everyday, natural, industrial and social factors. The main tasks of hygiene are the development of requirements aimed at increasing the body’s resistance to negative external factors. This is facilitated by proper self-care, a balanced regime of rest, work, balanced nutrition, and sports.

Failure to comply with personal hygiene rules can cause both minor health problems and serious illnesses. Fulfilling personal care requirements and using tools, which are classified as personal hygiene items, will be the first step in maintaining your own health. When considering what hygiene is, take into account the division of the subject into several subcategories:

personal;
food hygiene;
labor;
cities, establishments, premises.

How to maintain hygiene

One of the most important principles of strengthening and maintaining cleanliness and health by observing basic cleanliness standards is observing the rules of personal hygiene. Some tips on personal hygiene will help you correctly understand their role in life and structure your personal schedule:

Daily and periodic body hygiene: proper hand washing after going outside, before eating; washing; brushing teeth 2 times a day; taking a general shower, washing the genitals; hardening. Periodic treatments include cutting hair ends (every 4-8 weeks), cutting nails, washing hair with shampoo, and preventive visits to the doctor.
Hygienic requirements for clothing and shoes require periodic washing of items, steam ironing, and daily change of underwear. High-quality shoe washing is necessary. Clothing must fully comply with physiological and hygienic standards (provide an optimal microclimate, have low weight, good strength and high-quality chemical composition of the fabric).

To a woman

Body care is usually considered in a more in-depth aspect, taking into account periods of life, cycles, and age. A girl, a teenage girl, a woman, a pregnant woman and a woman after childbirth must follow the rules. Women's rules of personal hygiene are united by one principle - proper hygiene of the genitals and mammary glands. Considering that the main role of a woman is the production of offspring, the following hygiene requirements in the pelvic area are important:

daily hygiene of the external genitalia;
proper prenatal and postnatal hygiene (hygienic women's underpants are often used);
use of personal hygiene products in the form of tampons, pads during the menstrual cycle;
proper care of the mammary glands (especially important for pregnant and nursing mothers);
understanding how to use a hygienic shower, applying knowledge in practice;
washing and cleaning clothes, daily laundry, changing underwear.

To a man

How to maintain genital hygiene for a man? Skin care in the form of a daily shower is the way to maintain health. Everyday hygiene for men involves caring for the armpits, genitals and perineum. A man's reproductive health depends on the level of activity and hygienic status. Since the male genital organs are external and not hidden in the pelvic area, like a woman’s, a man’s personal procedures involve the following activities:

washing the penis and testicles;
using clean and comfortable underwear, in which the man’s organs will not be severely compressed or overheated;
perineal hygiene (washing with soap and water, proper use of toilet paper).

Teenager

An important stage that a child goes through on the way to growing up is adolescence. Physical changes occur in a teenager's body. The basic rules of personal hygiene include strict adherence to hygienic principles, and any deviation can lead to improper development of the reproductive system.

The requirements for a teenage girl are to use individual hygiene products (separate soap, towel, washcloth), and a sleeping place separate from her parents. A daily shower with the correct washing technique (from the pubis to the anus) and supporting the growing mammary gland with a bra are required. For girls during menstruation, the requirement to use tampons, pads, and frequent washing is included.

To kid

Health is formed from early childhood. Proper child hygiene will ensure the development and growth of a healthy future generation. Children's hygiene tasks:

proper hygiene of children's activities and rest;
prevention, prevention of diseases in children's groups;
checking and protecting children's nutrition;
developing a child’s concept of a healthy lifestyle.

According to existing norms and rules, every child of school age should be able to:

carry out daily morning and evening procedures independently (wash your face, brush your teeth, wash your face, wash your hair);
carry out hygiene procedures in the educational institution (wash hands, use a change of clothes or shoes if necessary);
take precautions during a viral epidemic.

Personal hygiene

Personalized nursing practice involves maintaining hygiene in personal daily living. Among the conditions that are fundamental, the most important is the personal attitude of a person (child, schoolchild, adult) towards himself and his health. This is a condition for the prevention, treatment of diseases, and increasing life expectancy. The deterioration of living conditions negatively affects health and the ability to exercise independent hygienic control.

Hygiene methods include a healthy lifestyle as one of the most effective health factors. Smoking cessation, a ban on the consumption of complex dietary fats and alcohol, weight control, and sports are recommended. The range of issues that personal hygiene covers includes the organization of rational nutrition, mental work, maintaining the microclimate in the home, hardening and physiotherapy.

sick

During the period of the disease, the patient can be dangerous to others or aggravate his own situation. Sanitary care for patients in a surgical hospital is performed in accordance with established standards:

provision of separate utensils for meals;
regular change of bed linen;
supply of a vessel and urinal;
antiseptic treatment of the ward and hospital;
implementation of daily hygiene procedures in the department;
organized feeding of the patient;
taking medications, performing health procedures in a clean manner.

Food service workers

Employees of public catering establishments have direct contact with ready-made meals, semi-finished products, frozen products, and desserts. Sanitary hygiene ensures the health of consumers, depending on the level of cleanliness of catering workers. Failure to comply with sanitary and hygienic standards at the enterprise can cause poisoning and sometimes death of the client.

Every food service employee is required to have a medical book. To prevent human sweat, hair, and dead skin from getting on food, workers (cooks, waiters) observe sanitation standards and wear uniforms. Before and after work, they must wash their hands thoroughly. Basic clothing should be clean, comfortable and neat. In restaurants and food outlets, waiters are required to serve food with gloves.

Medical personnel

Following the rules of personal hygiene by employees of a medical institution will ensure the protection of staff and patients from nosocomial infections. An employee of any medical rank must follow the established rules. Conditions for the protection of medical personnel:

washing and disinfecting hands;
availability of medical uniform (suit, hat, set of slippers or shoe covers);
in case of close contact with drugs and patients, use gloves and bandages.

Household hygiene

To prevent the appearance of carriers of infections, small insects, and excessive harmful dust in everyday life, a number of preventive measures should be taken:

removing dust from furniture surfaces;
daily disinfection of the bathroom (toilet, sink, bathtub);
washing the clothes of all family members;
regular ventilation or air purification using climate systems;
deep cleaning of carpets (fleecy coverings collect a lot of dust and germs);
high-quality everyday cleaning of kitchen surfaces and utensils.

The preventive measures developed by the ancient science of cleanliness are addressed to a healthy body, but the sick also require the same. Hygiene is closely related to sanitation, the purpose of which is to develop primary disease prevention measures for the population. Among the general recommendations for each person are:

professional oral hygiene (visiting a hygienist);
body care;
sanitation of household and food products;
care of the premises, cleaning and ventilation (otherwise, contamination of the respiratory system and disruption of the stable state of the body are possible).

Power

Sanitation and processing of food before consumption is the main rule of healthy eating. Before reaching the counter, food undergoes a sanitary examination, but this does not relieve the consumer of the obligation to wash it before using it as food. Domestic water is tested to eliminate the possible presence of harmful impurities. Basic sanitary requirements for food products:

benefits (reimbursement of energy and nutrients in the body);
presence of expiration date on the packaging;
minimal processing, cleaning from dirt before sale.

Sex

Practicing proper hygiene procedures before sex will help prevent infectious diseases. The environment of the genital organs is favorable for the proliferation of inflammatory, purulent infections. Before sexual intercourse, both partners should take a shower to cleanse their body and genitals. It is also worth giving up adrenaline during intercourse in public places, preferring a clean bed to the exotic.

Mental labor

An integral part of human life is mental work, which is defined as work related to receiving or processing information. The basics of mental health hygiene are to avoid fatigue or overwork. A number of preventive measures will get rid of them:

organization of the workplace in accordance with sanitary standards;
organization of sporting events;
sufficient illumination of the worker’s place (to protect vision);
clean air, favorable temperature.

Sleep

Proper rest is the foundation of a healthy body. Proper sleep is possible by following the following principles:

Compliance with the rules of personal sleep hygiene.
Proper sleeping area equipment.
Stop eating 2 hours before bedtime.
Eliminating unnecessary sources of noise during sleep.
Sleepwear sanitation.

Video: hygiene in Ancient Rus'

Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Personal hygiene rules

Scientific and technological progress and the acceleration of the pace of life inevitably leads to the need to master a large amount of scientific and other knowledge and skills. In this regard, the number of people engaged in mental activity in all areas of production increases every year throughout the world. This trend will continue in subsequent years. Therefore, issues of hygiene of mental work are becoming increasingly relevant.

The history of domestic and world science and culture provides many examples of how properly organized creative work allowed older people to make great discoveries and create masterpieces of art. At the same time, it is known that with improper organization of mental work and neglect of rest, mental activity becomes difficult and decreases. labor productivity, creative activity, conditions are created for the occurrence of health problems.
Mental work has a number of features. Most often it is associated with prolonged work indoors and a sedentary lifestyle. Increased brain function requires a large blood flow to it, which in turn is associated with an increase in cerebral vascular tone. This physiological increase in vascular tone, if work is not organized correctly, can become pathological, which can lead to a persistent increase in blood pressure. Working while sitting, often in a bent position, leads to prolonged compression of the chest, which impairs the ventilation ability of the lungs and leads to the development of chronic oxygen deficiency. When working for a long time while sitting, conditions are also created for stagnation of blood in the abdominal and pelvic organs, the motor activity of the intestines decreases, which can lead to disruption of their function.
Like any intensive work, mental work is inevitably associated with fatigue, which leads to the fact that a person has to expend more energy on the usual amount of work. Despite this, he makes mistakes, and finally, fatigue leads to the inability to continue working. If you are unable to properly organize mental work, a state of chronic fatigue sets in, which can result in exhaustion of the nervous system or the development of vascular disease.
The first signs of chronic fatigue are rapid onset of fatigue, decreased attention, weakened memory, loss of appetite, irritability or apathy, periodic headaches, sleep disorders, which in some cases manifest as drowsiness, in others - insomnia. Insomnia is usually more difficult for a person to tolerate. In the morning after a sleepless night, general weakness, a feeling of “being overwhelmed,” irritability appear, and performance decreases. In addition, the fear of another sleepless night is disturbing.
In order to prevent diseases associated with chronic fatigue, it is first necessary to regulate sleep. To do this, it is recommended to always go to bed at the same time. 1 hour before bedtime, you should stop strenuous work and, if possible, devote this time to a walk in the fresh air. It is helpful to take a warm bath or a 10-minute warm foot bath before bed. You should sleep in a well-ventilated room. An adult needs to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day (recent studies show that some individuals are recommended to sleep at least 9-10 hours). In the morning, it is recommended to do gymnastic exercises, after which it is advisable to take a cool shower or rub yourself with a damp towel. A set of exercises broadcast over the radio can be performed by people of any age. You can do an individual set of exercises developed in relation to your physical fitness.
For the most intense and difficult mental work, it is better to devote the morning hours. When starting work, you need to make sure that the room in which you will work is sufficiently ventilated. It is desirable that the air temperature in the room be within 18-20 °C. The source of illumination for the workplace should be on the left and not be too bright so as not to cause eye fatigue. Noise interferes with work, so it should be eliminated if possible.
From time to time you need to relieve muscle tension, which requires changing your body position. Every 1-2 hours it is recommended to take breaks of 10-15 minutes, during which you should lean back in your chair, take several deep breaths and exhalations, or do the same while walking around the room, then, sitting in a chair, relax your muscles for a few minutes torso and limbs. After this, it is recommended to do several gymnastic exercises and warm up. Experience shows that in those institutions where industrial gymnastics have been introduced, labor productivity is higher (I recall the successful experience of Soviet times, when the industrial gymnastics program was broadcast on industrial radio at 11 o’clock in the afternoon, analysis of the innovation showed that labor productivity increased by 1.2 - 1.5 times , depending on the industry).
Mental activity is often associated with a heavy load on the visual analyzer (reading, writing). In order not to cause eye fatigue, you need to periodically close your eyes for a few seconds while working and cover them with your palms. During this short time, the eye muscles relax and rest. Smoking while working is completely unacceptable.
Positive emotions play a big role in preventing mental fatigue. Work taking place in a favorable psychological atmosphere produces a significantly greater economic effect than work in an unfavorable environment. Positive emotions cause changes in the body that improve blood supply to the brain, increase the tone of the cerebral cortex, and activate the activity of the autonomic nervous system. As a result, the reserves of perception increase, memory improves and the creative capabilities of the brain increase. There is evidence that the use of functional music (according to a specially developed program) allows for a long time to maintain a high level of performance in people engaged in mental activity. Music acts as a stimulus that creates positive emotions. However, during periods of intense mental work, music is often a distraction and interferes with work.
Under the influence of negative emotions, a person’s attention becomes dull and the quality of thinking decreases. In order to compensate for the loss of performance, a person makes additional efforts, which ultimately lead to rapid fatigue.
A feature of mental work is that a person, after the time allotted for this work, cannot get rid of the problems associated with it, which causes neuropsychic stress. To prevent fatigue, conditions are necessary that help to “extinguish” ongoing mental work and relieve neuropsychic tension. To this end, after finishing your day's work, you can take a walk, play sports games, or do moderate physical work. Sports such as running, cycling, and playing volleyball are quite accessible to all healthy people. It is now firmly established that a sedentary lifestyle leads to the development of many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. For knowledge workers, it is better to spend their weekends on the move, in the air. These days it is recommended to completely switch from mental to other forms of activity. During the holiday period, it is recommended to give preference to active recreation, combining it with sports activities and moderate physical labor in the fresh air.
Nutrition also plays an important role in organizing the work schedule. Meals should be 3-4 times a day. It is necessary to ensure that the food is varied, rich in proteins and vitamins. In the morning you should have a hearty breakfast. Food in the first half of the day should be higher in calories than in the second. Dinner should not be plentiful; it should include dairy and vegetable dishes. You should not have dinner immediately before bed. It is necessary to widely use raw vegetables and fruits. You should not overuse spicy food seasonings. It is recommended to somewhat limit the amount of sugar, since the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet already occupies a large place. It is harmful to read while eating.
The question often arises about the advisability of increasing performance during periods of fatigue with the help of special means. It has long been known that coffee and tea containing caffeine are mental stimulants. In moderate doses they are not harmful. It is recommended to reduce tea and coffee intake in the afternoon and not take them at all at night. Strong stimulants are not recommended. You should also not drink alcoholic beverages. It has long been known that after taking even small doses of alcohol, performance decreases and the number of errors in work increases. In some cases, taking vitamins B and C is indicated.
Correct alternation of the rhythm of work and rest is the most rational method of organizing mental activity, which helps preserve a person’s creative powers and physical capabilities for many years.
Following all these simple recommendations will help increase the productivity of mental work and help avoid disturbances in a person’s health associated with fatigue during mental activity.

* A complex of such exercises is given in the section “Not a day without gymnastics” in the last chapter.

In addition to a reasonable daily routine, we will highlight the following components of a student’s rational lifestyle, on the observance of which academic success and good health depend: mental hygiene, proper nutrition, sleep, optimal physical activity, getting rid of bad habits.

MENTAL WORK HYGIENE

Three types of mental activity can be distinguished. The first includes light mental work: reading fiction, talking with an interesting interlocutor. Such activity can continue for a long time without the appearance of fatigue, since when it is performed, psychophysiological mechanisms function with a low degree of tension.

The second type of mental activity can be called “operational thinking”, since it is characteristic of the work of operators and dispatchers. For students, this means repeating the material covered, solving mathematical problems using a well-known algorithm, translating a foreign text into Russian. In this case, the psychophysiological mechanisms of the brain work with great stress. Effectively, such activity can last 1.5-2 hours.

Knowledge of the above classification should help students properly organize their educational work. Experts in mental labor hygiene believe that with operational thinking it is advisable to take breaks after 1.5-2 hours, and with the third type of mental activity - after 40-50 minutes. It should be emphasized that thought processes in the brain fade slowly. Therefore, 5-10 minute breaks set aside for rest will not interfere with the effectiveness of subsequent mental work, but will only help restore the energy of brain neurons.

Physical environmental factors have a significant impact on the productivity of mental work. It has been established that the optimal air temperature should be 18-22°, and relative humidity 50-70%. A long stay of students in a room with a temperature of 25-27° leads to significant stress on the physiological functions of the body. This negatively affects the quality of work performed, as well as autonomic functions: the activity of the cardiovascular, respiratory and other systems.

Brain cells, as already noted, are distinguished by particularly intense energy metabolism.

Therefore, for successful mental work it is necessary to be in a room with normal oxygen levels.

Sanitary and hygienic studies helped establish that after the first lecture, the content of carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide) in the classroom reaches 0.15-0.45%, i.e. it increases 5-15 times compared to the norm. In addition, in classrooms and reading rooms, especially if they are overcrowded, the oxidation of the air doubles, and the concentration of ammonia, carbon monoxide, or carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and a number of other substances harmful to health increases.

All this speaks to the need to ventilate audiences. Unfortunately, many students neglect this rule.

The quality of mental activity is also significantly affected by the presence of noise. Typically in classrooms its value is 40-50 dB. According to occupational hygiene data, noise up to 40 dB does not negatively affect the condition of the body; exceeding this indicator reduces the ability to work and has a harmful effect on human health.

A lot of controversy arises around the issue of using music in the process of mental work. The Hungarian scientist Almasy categorically states that during mental work, listening to even low-volume music is inappropriate. He believes that exposure to music contributes to a more rapid depletion of nerve centers and increases the consumption of “psychic energy.”

According to Soviet scientists, quiet melodic music somewhat increases the productivity of mental work. An interesting experiment was conducted at Kazan University by Yu. A. Tsagarelli. The initial level of emotional state was assessed. Then the students were subjected to stress - testing by the teacher of their knowledge of a foreign language with a grade. The level of emotional arousal increased sharply. After this, the students were asked to listen to classical and jazz music for 2.5-3 minutes.

After listening to classical music, a decrease in the level of emotional arousal was observed in 91% of students. Moreover, it had the most noticeable effect on those who were previously unfamiliar with it. Under the influence of jazz music, emotional arousal decreased in only 52% of students. It was also noticed that the higher a person’s musicality, the faster the level of emotional state was restored.

From our point of view, music is best used during periods of rest. In addition, when deciding on the inclusion of music in the process of mental activity, it is advisable to take into account the specifics of the work ahead. Doing complex work requires silence, which helps you concentrate. If the mental activity is simpler, such as solving problems using a known algorithm, translating from a foreign language with a dictionary, rewriting notes, etc., then music can be accelerated by this. It should also be noted that the influence of music on the quality of mental work depends on individual habits.

It is also necessary to control your posture. We often observe how students sit at the table with their backs bent and their heads bowed low. In this position, the lungs and heart function worse, the spine is bent, and the carotid arteries are compressed. You should sit with your torso slightly tilted (75-80°) and your head raised, which should be in a straight line with your back. Observe for a few days the correctness of your posture, and it will become familiar to you.

PROPER NUTRITION

The book has already begun a conversation about fairly common cases of digestive tract diseases among students. We believe that the main reason for this negative phenomenon is irregular and irrational nutrition.

Man has long used nutrition as one of the most important means for improving health. It is not for nothing that the ancient Greek sages asserted: a person is what he eats, and Seneca wrote that moderate nutrition increases mental abilities. The mind, he said, becomes dull from satiety.

Modern science has achieved certain successes in the study of issues of rational nutrition. It is well known that it is based on proteins, fats, carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals obtained from food.

Proteins, or proteins, are of greatest importance for the functioning of the body. They are the structural basis of all cells of the body, ensure their activity. Proteins in the human body are formed from food proteins, which, as a result of digestion, are broken down into amino acids, absorbed into the blood and used by cells. Amino acids are divided into replaceable (they are synthesized in the body) and essential, which come from food. Of the essential amino acids, metnonine, lycine and tryptophan are recognized as particularly important. They are found mainly in products of animal origin. Methionine is especially necessary for mental activity. Its highest content is in cottage cheese, eggs, cheese, and meat.

The average body need for protein is 1-1.3 g per kilogram of body weight. For students actively involved in physical education and sports, due to increased energy consumption, the need for protein increases approximately 1.5 times. A student’s daily diet should include proteins of both animal and plant origin. Of the plant proteins, the proteins of soybean, potato, oatmeal, buckwheat, beans, and rice have the greatest value and biological activity.

Fats are the most concentrated source of energy. At the same time, they perform other important functions in the body: together with proteins they form the structural basis of cells, protect the body from hypothermia, and serve as natural sources of vitamins A, E, D. Therefore, fats and especially their main component - fatty acids - are an essential component food. Fatty acids are divided into saturated and unsaturated. Arachidonic and linoleic acids are among the most biologically valuable among unsaturated fatty acids. They strengthen the walls of blood vessels, normalize metabolism, counteract the development of atherosclerosis,

Arachidonic acid is found only in animal fats (sugar fat - 2%, butter - 0.2%). Fresh milk is also rich in this product.

Linoleic acid is found mainly in vegetable oils. Of the total amount of fats included in food, it is recommended to consume 30-40% vegetable fats. The body's need for fat is approximately 1-1.2 g per kilogram of weight. Excess fat leads to excess body weight, deposition of fatty tissue, and metabolic disorders.

During intense muscular activity, fats begin to be consumed by the body after 18-20 minutes of work. Students involved in sports that require endurance (middle and long distance running, rowing, cycling, swimming, skiing) especially need vegetable fats.

Carbohydrates come from food in the form of monosaccharides (fructose, galactose), disaccharides (sucrose, lactose) and full-saccharides (starch, fiber, glycogen, pectin), turning into glucose as a result of biochemical reactions. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates, especially sugar, is extremely harmful.

Scientists note a direct connection between the amount of sugar eaten and cardiovascular diseases. This is explained by the fact that excess carbohydrates have a negative effect on the walls of blood vessels, increasing the content of sugar (glucose) and cholesterol in the blood, a substance that enhances atherosclerotic processes in the walls of blood vessels.

In addition, consumption of carbohydrates in the form of refined sugar and sweets contributes to the development of dental caries. English experts have discovered that sugar sharply activates the proliferation of microorganisms on the teeth, with the help of which acids that destroy enamel are formed. Therefore, it is recommended to use more foods containing polysaccharides (porridge, potatoes), fruits and berries as sources of carbohydrates.

The average daily carbohydrate requirement of a student-aged person is 4-5 g per kilogram of body weight. With regular exercise, the body requires more carbohydrates - up to 600 g. It is recommended to introduce 35% of carbohydrates in the form of granulated sugar, honey, jam, and the rest should preferably be replenished with bread, potatoes, cereals, apples, etc.

Excessive consumption of carbohydrates causes a sharp increase in blood sugar levels, which is unsafe for health. It is recommended to take glucose immediately before the start, while covering a long distance, or at the finish line after tiring physical activity. It has been found that glucose consumed before a competition or intense training quickly enters the bloodstream and is used by the body to successfully perform muscle work. If you take it 15 minutes or more (up to 1.5 hours) before the start, then the expected effect will not occur. The muscles will not receive the required amount of carbohydrates, since the process of deposition of glucose in the form of glycogen will occur in the body. Therefore, training or competitions should begin 1.5-2 hours after eating, when the body contains the largest amount of glycogen.

The energy value of food, or its calorie content, depends on the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates present in it. According to established standards, caloric intake for male students is 3000 kcal per day, for girls - 2600 kcal. When playing sports and physical education, the calorie content of food should increase by approximately 700-1000 kcal, depending on the intensity of the exercise.

In table Table 3 shows the calorie content of a number of food products, which students will be able to use to check the energy value of their diet.

Body weight depends on the calorie content of food eaten. For many students, especially females, it is excessive. But human health largely depends on mass. Scientists say that an extra 9 kilograms of body weight reduces a person’s possible life expectancy by 18%.

Often, students, in an effort to lose weight, begin to reduce the number of meals they eat: they eat only 2 times a day. The natural desire to be full leads to the fact that students eat more in 2 meals than with regular 3-4 meals a day. In addition, eating infrequently has a negative impact on the absorption of nutrients. And this leads to an increase in body weight.

In order to get rid of excess weight, you first need willpower. A person who is especially prone to obesity has developed the habit of eating heavily and giving himself pleasure. It’s not so easy to lose such pleasure! It should be understood that the feeling of satiety is a conditioned reflex.

Table 3

Energy value of a number of food products

Those who decide to lose weight need to gradually reduce the amount of food they eat at one meal, especially flour and sweets, constantly monitoring their weight. Increasing physical activity through various types of physical exercise, especially in the fresh air, is also of considerable importance.

In addition, students suffering from excessive obesity can arrange for themselves so-called fasting days, the diet of which was compiled by the Institute of Nutrition of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences.

Milk day

During the day, drink 6 glasses of milk (kefir, yogurt). Such food contains 850-960 kcal and makes it possible to lose weight by 500-600 g in one day.

Curd day

3a 3-4 times a day, eat 600 g of low-fat cottage cheese, 60 g of sour cream and drink 2 glasses of vitamin broth, preferably from rose hips. With such a diet, a person receives 700-800 kcal and his oil intake per day can decrease by 650-700 g.

Fruit and vegetable day

Take 1.5 kg of fresh vegetables and fruits (cabbage, carrots, apples, tomatoes, etc.) throughout the day. Vegetables can be prepared as a salad, seasoned with sunflower oil. This diet allows you to lose weight by 600-800 g per day.

Any of the diets should be used no more than once a week. Fasting for weight loss should not be done without medical supervision. Improperly organized fasting can cause protein, carbohydrate and vitamin deficiency, which will contribute to serious structural changes in internal organs, especially the liver. At the same time, observations conducted in a number of universities show that some students who are seriously involved in sports have insufficient caloric content and quality content of their daily diet. Most often, there is not enough protein, which negatively affects both the success of the workout and the speed of recovery processes after it.

Mental work involves the use of certain rational forms of work. It is important to combine intense theoretical work with rest, relaxation, and switching classes. Some students literally terrorize themselves with constant vigil over books. They believe that the result of their work is fully determined by the time spent. Meanwhile, psychology helps build preparation for exams rationally, taking into account the capabilities and resources of the human psyche. Just because you've reviewed your notes and gone for a walk doesn't mean you've switched off from work. On the contrary, your brain continues to work, looking for a rational solution to the problem. The interconnection of mental, emotional and physical activity improves the results of your work.

Intuition plays a huge role in knowledge. But the constant intense work of consciousness often reduces the intuitive capabilities of cognition. That is why relaxation, a temporary respite from increased mental mobilization, will sometimes yield valuable heuristic results. The facts of creativity in dreams are widely known. They are evidenced by J. Condorcet, B. Franklin, J. Michelet, E. Condillac, D. Arago. The French philosopher Voltaire created an entire song of his “Henriad” in a dream, and the French fabulist J. Lafontaine created the fable “Two Doves”. Mathematician E. Maignan found two important theorems in a dream.

The English poet S. Coleridge fell asleep while reading, and when he woke up, he felt that he had 200 or 300 poems that only remained to be written down; He wrote down 54 verses completely freely and as quickly as his pen could keep up. But someone came in and stayed for about an hour on one errand. And Coleridge, to his great chagrin, felt that he had only a vague memory of his vision, and only 8-10 separate verses remained in his memory, and all the rest had disappeared forever. The Italian actor E. Rossini used to put paper and pencil by his bed and sometimes, suddenly waking up, he would write down important thoughts that came to him in a dream. Very important subconscious activity can take place both in reality and in a state intermediate between sleep and wakefulness. What is called inspiration very often comes in a state of more or less complete eclipse of consciousness.

The French writer T. Gautier wrote about Balzac: “He looked like a frenzied person, like a somnambulist sleeping with his eyes open. Immersed in his deep thoughts, he did not hear what was said to him.” G. Hegel calmly finished his “Phenomenology of Spirit” in Jena, October 4, 1806, not noticing that the battle was raging around him. L. van Beethoven, completely captured by inspiration, once went out onto the Neustadt street half-naked. The philosopher Schopenhauer said about himself: “My philosophical postulates appeared on their own, without my intervention, at moments when my will seemed to be asleep and my mind was not directed in a predetermined direction... My personality was, as it were, alien to the work. .."

Sometimes the subconscious movement is so clear that it seems like a suggestion from the outside. This is expressed in the poems of the French poet de Musset: “You don’t work, you listen, you wait... // As if someone unknown is speaking in your ear.” Similar examples from Socrates, Pascal, and Mozart have become classic.

However, this is not at all about the fact that mental work and inspiration are capable of creating miracles on their own, like a heavenly gift. The culture of mental work suggests something else. Before you begin to solve any problem, you need to think it over carefully, organize your thinking, and sketch out a plan. Inspiration is the result of enormous preliminary work, the result of mental discipline and creative possibilities, so the fruitful work of a student has nothing to do with endless cramming or extreme strain on mental abilities. But it is not the sweet product of a light drowsiness, the work of human imagination or daydream.

For students who are tired of hard work, we can recommend auto-training, which is used all over the world as an element of the proper organization of mental work. Here, for example, is one of the options for auto-training:

"Sit up straight, put your hands freely (you can on the table). Close your eyes. Tune in to auto-training. Now I will relax the facial muscles. The forehead wrinkles are smoothed out. The eyebrows, like streams, spread in different directions. The eyelids are closed. Mentally I try to open the eyelids, eyelids closed... The cheeks are sunken. Folds appear in the corners of the lips, the chin is symbolically lowered. All the muscles of the face are relaxed. I see my face at arm's length. It is completely relaxed. The face is mask-like, lifeless... The muscles of the neck are relaxed, I mentally find the clamps in the back and relax...

My right hand feels heavy. Filled with lead weight. The left hand becomes heavy and fills with leaden heaviness. My hands are heavy, I’m mentally trying to tear them off the table. Hands are heavy. The right leg becomes heavy and feels heavy. Both legs are heavy. They are shackled. I'm trying to take a step. My legs don't obey me. They are heavy...

The whole body is amazingly heavy. A bag with a load rests on your shoulders. The back is slightly bent. Coachman's pose. The whole body is relaxed, in this position I can rest for a long time, feeling the muscles relax.

Now I will warm up my body. All attention is focused on the tips of the fingers, where they come into contact with the surface of the table. Here warmth is born in the pads of my fingers, I feel the pulse beating. Heat rises through the phalanges of the fingers. I feel the pulse beating in my palms. They are wet, and the heat rises to the elbow joints and shoulders. In my mind I see myself by the fire. A hot flame enters every cell of the hands. Hands fill with warmth...

Now I turn my attention to the soles of my feet. A pulsation is gradually felt here. Warmth is born. I mentally step on hot sand. My feet are hot. It is important to catch this feeling of warmth coming from below. The heat rises to the ankles. I feel the pulse beating in my calves. And the warmth grabs your thighs and rises higher. Attention: warmth in the solar plexus, lower abdomen. This is a blissful feeling of relaxation and bliss. The heat rises higher and higher, past the chakras to the thousand-petalled lotus at the crown of the head. I see myself lying on the hot sand. The sultry hot sun caresses and pampers every cell of the naked body. I feel hot...

Now there is a feeling of weightlessness. I myself am in place, but my body suddenly moves to the left... To the right... Back, forward... I feel like a tumbleweed. The wind picks me up and carries me across the plain. Now I, like a paper kite, soar up... I rush, attach myself to a white cloud, soar... I see a caravan of camels below, a desert, a jungle, a railway line. And I slowly descend onto the raft in the middle of the ocean. The damp wind caresses my naked body, rocks me, rocks me...

(The further text is pronounced with a different intonation.) Each time I master the auto-training technique more and more deeply. Now it is not difficult for me to evoke a feeling of warmth, relaxation and weightlessness. Deep sleep, barely your head touches the pillow. Memory improves noticeably, anxieties and fears go away, problems seem solvable.
(The intonation changes again.) I’m lying near a huge body of water. The continuous sound of a waterfall can be heard. Easy, free...

Now I will get out of this state. In my mind I see a cloud fraught with rain. I pull her to the window of our room. Attention! Now the window will open. Attention! Cold and damp air rushed into the room. My temples are cool... I open my eyes... The session is over..."

Cm.: Gurevich P. S. Juvenile psychology. pp. 89–91.