Researcher blogs

Navigating academia is complex and difficult sometimes. Not to mention those also busy moving countries (all so common in our field). There is so much new to learn…the housing system, banking (IYKYK), surviving Scandinavian winters, making friends, and obviously fitting into a whole new university/lab and performing at your studies or research. We need to figure out all sorts of bureaucracy, within academia and outside (taxes, permits, and so on). On our way to tackling everything, much gets side-benched. Unfortunately, health is often one of these. I’m guilty of that myself. Contradictory, since it is so important to keep us going and performing at a good level.

The good news is that KI has several initiatives and opportunities to improve student and staff health that you can take advantage of. KI Health Hub and its ambassadors are there to guide you through it.  However, as with many institutional resources, navigating what is available and understanding how to access it can be challenging. As a newly appointed Health Ambassador, I would like to bring these opportunities together into one place. This “ultimate guide” to health at KI will outline the key initiatives available to both students and staff and provide practical information on how to access them. It will focus in particular on areas such as fitness and occupational health care. Also feel free to skip to the bits that interest you.

Disclaimer: Do make sure you verify all information at KI’s website as regulations might change or have been updated since the writing of this post. – Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this journey towards health.

To guide you, here are the topics I’ll cover:

FITNESS

• Wonder app
• Gyms
• Studios
• Biofit and private lifting
• Outdoors and Sports Hall
• Classes / Group training
• Individual coaching
• Amenities
• Tips to get started
• Tips on how to fit training in a busy schedule

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

• For employees, PhDs, and Postdocs
  • Avonova Occupational Health Services, work glasses / eye examination, phone counseling
• For students
  • 24/7 hotline, counseling sessions

FITNESS

Wonder app

You will see that a lot that goes on happens in connection with the Wonder app. To access the gyms, you need to create an account there (https://ki.wondr.se/). With the Wonder app you can check the gym schedule, book classes, and most importantly, open the gym doors. You can find out how to create an account here.

Gyms

There are two fully equipped gyms at KI, one in Solna and one in Flemingsberg called Box and Base, respectively. Both are open Monday-Sunday from 6am to 10pm (that’s some generous working hours, right?). If you want to access the gym on weekends, early in the morning, and evenings you will also need access to the buildings they are located through your KI card (to make sure you have access you can email sakerhetsenheten@ki.se, stating first/last name, card number and PIN – ask for access to Alfred Nobels allé building for Flemingsberg, and BZ-house for Solna). Otherwise, the Wonder app is enough.

Both gyms are equipped with the cardio and strength training machines, free weights and racks you need to get your workouts in. At Solna, this is an all-in-one room kind of setup, but with plenty of space for everything. Now, if you happen to be in Flemingsberg, oh boy, you are in luck. There are three separate strength training spaces, one called (drumroll…) Space, another called Free, and the last called Strong. Strong has your usual lifting platforms, kettlebells, and so on. Free is equipped with machines and free weights. Space on the other hand is the calisthenics and CrossFit aficionados’ dreamland. It has rings, parallel bars, ceiling rack, thick mat and soft weights. This is also perfect for martial arts and other group training. Although there is no such space in Solna, you can use the Sports Hall putting down thick mat tatamis and using soft weights. There is also a ceiling rack available.

More than gyms…

Studios

If you’re not into heavy lifting or the usual gym exercises. Don’t worry, they’ve got you covered! There are studios in both campi for activities like yoga, mat Pilates, or dance. You can also book the studios through the Wonder app. You can use them privately or with friends. The access at Flemingsberg is through the main gym entrance, and at Solna it sits on the Health Hub corridor (right across from the main library entrance in BZ house, you will need your KI card to access it). No weights in the studios. But you will have access to mats, step boxes, yoga blocks and cushions to borrow.

Biofit and private lifting area (Solna)

But, Alana, I like lifting, I just wish I could do it in a more private or calm space, I don’t feel comfortable with the noise and bustle of gyms. No worries, KI Solna is equipped with both a Biofit and a private lifting area. Biofit is equipped with environmentally friendly equipment, such as climbing ropes made of natural fiber, sandbags and a mat made of recycled plastic from the oceans. The private lifting area (right behind it) has a barbell and free weights available. These spaces are not booked in advance, first come first served. And although not your conventional workout, there is also a piano room here for you to practice another kind of mind-body connection through music.

The outdoors and Sport hall

These facilities are all good and stuff, but I like outdoors, not to be stuck in a box. Well, look no further. Both campi offer outdoor training equipment to borrow, like baseball bats, rackets, boules, slackline, long jump rope, and so on. You can find these at the Biofit in Solna or in two lockers by the table tennis table in Flemingsberg.

If you are in Solna, there is also an outdoor gym between Aula Medica and the Innomedicum building and a kubb area and sand courts for outdoor sports and training. These are located just outside the former Jöns Jacob restaurant. Drop-in system. Akademiska Hus provides an additional box of equipment on this green area outside the former Jöns Jacob: kubb, spikeball, volleyball and weights for strength training.

In Flemingsberg there is an outdoor gym located at the Hospital Park (on the west side of Huddinge hospital). There you can also go for a walk in the park.

Behind SciLifeLab/KI Housing you will also find Tennis courts (bookings through Wonder).

All those are fun, but I prefer to play sports all year round. Yep, you guessed it, they’ve got you covered in the winter too. You can find table tennis equipment in both gyms, and a big Sporthall in Solna. There are three courts where you can play badminton, basketball, and volleyball. For indoor football groups all three courts can be booked, making it a perfect fit. All are bookable through the Wonder app as well.

Classes

Last but most, if you are like me and struggle to get your workouts in if you are left to your own devices, there is a great solution…nothing like the accountability and structure of group classes. There are several (emphasis on several) classes available for you to book through the Wonder app in both campi. You choose from yoga, functional training, lifting workouts, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, dance classes, and much more! They are all open level and made to be scalable, you can attend both as experienced and beginner, no knowledge required. In fact, there are some strength training classes focused on technique, especially interesting for beginners.

Coaches are KI students and employees with experience in that activity. They can be hired or volunteer. Contact KI Health Hub if you are interested in instructing any classes!

Individual coaching

But Alana, I don’t feel confident enough to join groups yet… or, I have an injury or something that requires special care. There is an option for you too.

If you are a student, then you can book a time available in the Wonder app schedule. Those are called “Bookable Coach”. It is one spot to book, but you can bring a friend. PS: this is also bookable by employees, but it is the only option for students.

If you are an employee (this includes staff, PhD students, and Postdocs, even those on scholarships), then you can book different options: either Gym introduction/coaching or Health coaching. The gym introduction is a practical session that will equip you with a few exercises to get started. Health coaching is a more holistic approach, a conversation about lifestyle habits related to physical activity and exercise. You can also book a Physical activity on Prescription session. This is if you have a specific prescription for exercise from your healthcare provider, and the health hub team will help you get started towards better health. These sessions can be at the campus gyms or online.

So yes, these are one-on-one personal coaching sessions from physiotherapists that you can book free of charge.

If you are a manager, you also have the special perk of being able to book a training session for your work group alongside the introduction. More than that, you can contact the health hub to schedule workshops for your group with focus on daily movement, coping with stress, and work life balance. If you are up for unconventional ideas, why not have a meeting on foot? It is good for creativity and decision making. You can take the walking trails for campus Solna available in this walk and talk-guide.

Other amenities and accessibility

Both gyms have female and male separate lockers and showers with shower gel available. You can use your KI card or any debit/credit card for the lockers, just make sure to use the exact same card to unlock it. This is especially interesting for my SciLifeLab folks – you don’t even need a KI card to use the gym during the day, all you need is the Wonder app and any card for the lockers. If you do not feel comfortable changing inside shared locker rooms or your gender identity makes you feel out of place, do not let this stop you! There is a private restroom with shower that you can use in both gyms (in Solna these are to the right of the gym entrance or just across from the studio; while in Flemingsberg it is located directly to the left when you enter BASE. All facilities have wheelchair accessible bathrooms and showers as well.

Now, Flemingsberg might have the better gym facility, but you will find the best Nordic amenities at the Solna gym, the saunas! You can find the working hours in the Wonder app, they are drop-in based. There is one in the male and one in the female bathrooms.

Tips to get started

All those options are great, but it only works if you actually make use of them. Starting out and keep coming back is the real challenge. So, I’d boil it down to two key elements:

1. Be patient with yourself

Don’t put the bar too high to start with. If you plan a 30min workout but then achieve only 20min you’ll feel bad about it. When reality is that it was great for your health already (minus the stress you just put your brain through). So, focus on showing up. Celebrate small wins. You stepped once a week onto the gym, that’s a start, and better than the previous week. Also, you will be terrible at exercising first, that’s normal. But you do not have to perform, quite the opposite, it should be hard and imperfect, that is how you get better at it.

2. Choose something you like

I cannot emphasize this enough. If it isn’t enjoyable for you there is no point. That’s not how you start. It needs to keep you coming back and feeling good about the activity itself. Once you are more advanced and already consistent, then you can go for activities just because they are healthy, or because you feel great afterwards, even if you don’t enjoy them in the moment. But I’ve never seen someone starting like this and sticking to it in the long-term. So, unless you have superhuman willpower, start with something that you at least don’t hate. Even if there are only some elements of it that you like (be it the company, a nice instructor, or the exercise itself), go for something somewhat enjoyable.

For me, for many years this was Pilates. I then got the courage (and the big scale numbers staring back at me, truth be told) and started trying out other activities, again, and again. Now I do dance, strength training, Tai Chi, and HIIT workouts. I never thought I would enjoy any of that. But I kept experimenting and turns out it all depends on the overall experience; I got to know myself better and now I am picky about it. So, experiment with different activities and you might be surprised by something. It could completely change your relationship with exercise. And worst-case scenario, you just found out what aspects you don’t like. Negative results are also results, right?…right? (insert Padme meme).

Tips on how to fit training in a busy schedule

But Alana, this all sounds good and fun, but I don’t have the time… I hear you. It happens to the best of us. And truth be told, there will always be times in our life when we cannot make it or need to take a little break. My menstruating fellows out there know this the best. The important thing for you to know is that it is always better when you get back to it. It will never be as difficult as when you first started. So, you should not be afraid of a little break. Just get back to it and you’ll be fine. Your muscles get better at growing, your mind-body connection is easier, your nervous system knows what to expect.

Also keep in mind that it is worth it, you will feel more energetic and productive with time, if not even right after your workout.

That said, here are some tips that helped me and others I know:

1. Having accountability.
I function with classes. If I have it booked on my calendar, I won’t book another meeting instead, and an instructor will be expecting me. I don’t want to let people down, so I’ll be there. I guess I need to trick my brain into commitment. Some also work well with an accountability buddy. Maybe you have a friend to work out with, you get to push each other and make progress together.

2. Picking a time during the day that works well for you.
Maybe this is in the morning before work, or right after it, on your way home. Don’t worry about “the best time” to exercise… that is whenever you can and feel good doing it. In my case, I love exercising right after work, I feel like I get my brain busy with something else and it signals that it’s time to wind down. I used to take my worries home and be so anxious about work. That’s gotten much better! It helps me perform better the next day too.

I’ve also had great experiences with breaks during the day. This probably only works if you have flexible hours, of course. But if you are waiting for that experiment to run, or that analysis to finish, why not pop on at the gym for a quick rowing or bike time? I must admit I’ve even used it to blow off some steam after difficult meetings.

Some people even take their lunchtime to work out, which takes serious commitment, but you know, if it works, it works.

If you cannot commit to a full workout, introducing short breaks to your day is a wonderful place to start. Getting tea, stretching, or even just getting up now and then. The Pausit Coach is a great digital resource for that.

3. Making use of the wellness hour
Regardless of what you choose, as an employee at KI you are also entitled to a weekly wellness hour (friskvårdstimme) during your workweek. You can plan this with your manager according to your needs. You can even break it up into 15 min at a time. Go for it.

If you are an employee, you should also make use of your wellness allowance to introduce some variety to your exercises or go for a more mindful experience.

4. Considering your chronotype?
Although the most important thing is to consider whenever you can fit your workout, some thought into your chronotype, or when you feel most energetic, might help too. It doesn’t necessarily have direct health benefits, but it will help you in being consistent. When you feel better, you perform better, and you are more likely to come back for that feeling.

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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH (including mental health)

KI offers occupational health for employees, PhD students or postdocs – regardless of funding arrangements – managed by Avonova. This service is for support with work-related health problems (problems that may be related to your ability to work and the demands that your work makes). You can approach them directly without asking your manager. You can also contact Avonova for preventive healthcare (for both physical and mental health). They can, for example, issue a prescription for physical activity that you can then take to the Health Hub team to get individual coaching. You can order two meetings per year with a specialist of your choice: nurse, physiotherapist, ergonomist, behavioral scientist, or psychologist. If you need further meetings, then you will need confirmation from your manager or local HR. You can also get treatment for cuts or blood infections. You can find for information here.

Working at KI, you are also entitled to work-glasses or prescription safety glasses when needed. If you, like me, after years working in front of a monitor, started noticing headaches or blurry vision, you can also seek help here. You can get a requisition to see an optician and get your eyes examined to understand whether you need work glasses. You can follow the procedures listed here. These apply for employees, PhD students or postdocs – regardless of funding arrangements as well.

You can also reach out for support through phone counseling, this advice service covers both work-related and private issues (psychosocial issues, legal or personal finances, etc.). Some examples of matters are family law, housing contracts, the social climate in the workplace, addiction problems, personal crises. You will be helped by a social worker who can then refer you further if needed. Managers can also reach out here for situations regarding the work group. These apply again for employees, PhD students or postdocs – regardless of funding arrangements.

Finally, if you are a student, you can reach out to the Student Wellbeing Centre. You can use their 24/7 hotline for psychosocial issues. These can concern emotional or relationship problems, addiction issues and personal crises, for example. If there is the need further counseling will be booked for you with a specialist. You can also book a counseling session with a clinical nurse specialist, who can appoint you to a psychologist, psychotherapist or physician. This service can be booked if you are struggling with stress, anxiety, sleep issues or adjusting to student life in general. This is also the place to reach out to if you have trouble with performance pressure, procrastination, fear of public speaking, social anxiety, being homesick, lonely, and so on. There is also an interesting resource at studenthalsa.se, where you can find self -help materials especially designed for students as well as appropriate healthcare contacts for all universities in Sweden.

Seeking help is the smartest, bravest thing you can do! Do not be afraid to reach out.

Enjoy your journey towards health. And remember to celebrate even small wins. This is a marathon, not a sprint; every second counts for your health. Take care!

Until we meet again,

Alana

PS: If you know of anything I have missed or updates on any of the topics please be sure to comment below for people to have access to it. Let’s build this together!