Back to School Back to Health
A Health Coach’s Guide to Staying Healthy All Year Round
As summer fades and the back-to-school season approaches, it’s not just the kids who need to prepare for the new academic year. Parents, too, find themselves juggling busy schedules, early mornings, and the inevitable stress that comes with the return to routine. This transition period is the perfect opportunity to hit the reset button on your health habits and set new personal goals.
1. Prioritize Sleep for Everyone
One of the most common challenges during the school year is maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Both kids and adults need adequate rest to function optimally. For children, poor sleep can affect concentration, mood, and overall performance in school. For parents, it can lead to increased stress and decreased productivity.
Health Tip: Aim for a gradual shift in bedtime. Ensure that everyone in the household is getting the recommended amount of sleep—10-12 hours for younger children, 8-10 for teenagers, and 7-9 for adults. Create a relaxing bedtime routine, reduce screen time before bed, remove technology them from bedrooms and hour before bedtime, even turn off the house WiFi to ensure sleep. Keep the sleeping environment cool and dark. Maybe add black curtains or sleeping masks to aide in this.
2. Fuel Up with Balanced Nutrition
With the hustle and bustle of the school year, it’s easy to fall into the trap of unhealthy eating or lots of fast food meals on the go. However, proper nutrition is crucial for sustaining energy levels and supporting the immune system.
Health Tip: Plan and prep meals ahead of time to ensure your family is eating balanced, nutrient-rich meals. Incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains into daily meals. Consider batch cooking on weekends to make weekday lunches and dinners easier. Don’t forget the importance of a healthy breakfast to kickstart metabolism and provide energy for the day ahead. Set up a family routine in the evenings of packing lunches together and setting up the morning for success.
3. Make Hydration a Habit
Dehydration can lead to fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and even mood swings. During the school year, children often forget to drink water, especially when they’re busy with activities.
Health Tip: Ensure that everyone in the family has a quality reusable water bottle that they can take to school or work. Aim for at least 8 glasses of water per day, but remember that individual needs may vary depending on age, activity level, and weather. To make water more appealing, try adding slices of citrus, berries, or cucumber for natural flavor. Add rubber bands around the bottle to slide down as a visual reminder of how many you’ve drank that day. 4. Stay Active Together Physical activity is essential for both physical and mental health. With the demands of the school year, finding time to stay active can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.
4. Stay Active Together
Physical activity is essential for both physical and mental health. With the demands of the school year, finding time to stay active can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Health Tip: Make physical activity a family affair. Whether it’s a morning walk before school, a weekend hike, an evening bike ride, kicking the soccer ball, or playing catch, find ways to move together. Consider how much stronger your bonds will be by moving and playing together. Encourage children to participate in sports or extracurricular activities that they enjoy. Adults can benefit from joining a fitness class or setting aside time for regular workouts. Remember, consistency is key—aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
5. Mind Your Mental Health
The school year can be a stressful time for both kids and adults. Academic pressures, social dynamics, and the demands of work-life balance can take a toll on mental well-being.
Health Tip: Practice mindfulness and stress management techniques as a family. Encourage open communication about feelings and stressors. Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or even short daily check-ins can help reduce stress and improve mental resilience. Make time for activities that bring joy, relaxation, and connection whether it’s reading, drawing, or simply spending time in nature.
6. Boost Immunity Naturally
With the return to school comes the inevitable exposure to germs. While it’s impossible to avoid all illnesses, there are ways to support your family’s immune system naturally.
Health Tip: Ensure everyone is getting a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc. Encourage regular hand washing, especially before meals and after coming home from school or work. Probiotics, whether from supplements or fermented foods like yogurt, can also support gut health, which is closely linked to immunity.
7. Create a Routine, But Stay Flexible
Routine is essential for creating a sense of stability, especially during the school year. However, being too rigid can lead to burnout and frustration for everyone. Health Tip: Establish a routine that works for your family but remains flexible enough to accommodate the unexpected. This might include set times for homework, meals, and bedtime, but also allowing for occasional changes when needed. Consistency helps everyone know what to expect, but flexibility ensures that life’s inevitable surprises don’t throw off your health goals. Ask yourselves each month, “what will work best for us in this season?”
A Healthier School Year Starts Now! So, as we are all in mix of finding our back-to-school rhythm, take this opportunity to get back to health and make this year your healthiest yet! Your kids will thank you for it and benefit from it greatly!