This section of the website will provide you with good tips and information you can use to maintain a healthy body and mind. It’s important to look after both of these to feel happy and healthy during your teenage years.
School can be tiring, so quality sleep is important. Sleep will affect your ability to learn, what you remember, and how you get along with friends and family.
Students who get good sleep do better in school and tend to feel better within themselves. It is important to have good sleep practices and routine.
Young people also tend to sleep more once they get to secondary school age. This is no cause for alarm- it is completely normal. A developing body and mind need extra sleep to grow in a healthy fashion.
Do more than just P.E. in school – you should try to be active, at a moderate to high level, for at least 60 minutes every day. Moderate to high level exercise is anything that gets your heart going. Any team sports, basketball, cycling, swimming, dancing, or running are all great types of exercise.
Regular physical activity will help you feel more energetic, improve focus and attention, and help your mood and feelings. Regular physical activity can also help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent medical problems later in life. And it’s a great way to spend time with your friends
School will be busy. A demanding routine and a growing body mean you’ll have a lot of nutritional needs. To meet these, you should have a healthy and regular diet.
This means you need to be eating your three regular meals daily: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Don’t skip breakfast!
You’ve probably heard it a hundred times, but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It sets you up and allows you to concentrate for the morning. Make time to have a good breakfast before you leave the house.
- Eat Healthily!
Eating healthily doesn’t have to mean giving up your favourite foods. It simply means eating a variety of foods, and cutting down on food and drinks high in fat and sugar, such as sugary drinks, crisps, cakes and chocolate. These foods should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.
Include fruit and vegetables in your daily meals, and avoid snacking in between. Ensure you drink enough water every day. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty, because that’s a sign your body has needed fluids for a while.
Mental health refers to the health of your mind, thoughts and emotions. Having good mental health is another way of describing good social and emotional wellbeing. You need good mental health to develop in a healthy way, build strong relationships with those around you, adapt to change and deal with life’s challenges.
People who have good mental health often:
- feel happier and more positive about themselves and enjoy life
- have healthier relationships with family and friends
- get involved in activities
- have a sense of achievement
- feel relaxed and content in themselves
- feel like they belong to their communities
Having good physical and mental health often go hand in hand; sleep, physical exercise and a good diet will go a long way.
We all spend a lot of time on phones and other devices these days. Using social media, posting pictures and snaps, watching videos, playing games and messaging friends are all common, not to mention using the internet to help with homework.
