ABSTRACT
Online students are sedentary and alone. This means they are prone to physical and mental health issues that are not usually seen in students who study on campus. These are explored in this chapter. They include sitting for many hours in front of a computer which can lead to muscular problems for online students. Equally, students can get Computer Vision Syndrome due to many hours sitting in front of their computers. Too much computer usage is also linked to sleep problems. Sleep disturbance is an issue that can affect online students as they do not “switch off” from studying due to the lack of a timetable. This means they can continue studying into the night, leading to irregular sleeping patterns that affect their studies. Also, being alone, online students have limited opportunities for social support. Therefore, they need to take specific steps to ensure they get the support they need by using the student social forums, the Personal Tutor scheme, and the university well-being team. Online students are also likely to find that indoor houseplants in their study space can improve their performance through alterations in air quality.
