As both students and teenagers, it can be our last priority to maintain our health or work on it at all. Many of us have after-school activities like sports, theater, work, or just a lot of homework to do. Because of how busy we are, we often find ourselves consistently neglecting our health. Here are 5 easy ways to start improving your health that will be easy to fit into our routines!
Fixing Your Sleep Schedule
Fixing your sleep schedule is very important, if you’re worried that you’re not getting enough sleep you should work on it the sooner the better. The amount of sleep that every person needs varies, although the ideal amount is 8 to 10 hours a night. Even though this may seem a little disheartening, so many things revolve around how much sleep we get. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, “Without sleep, you can’t form or maintain the pathways in your brain that let you learn and create new memories. Lack of sleep makes it harder to concentrate and respond quickly. Sleep is important to several brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other”. Sleep is essential to being able to perform well in school and especially when doing sports. As teenagers, our brains are already changing a lot as our frontal lobe is developing. Getting adequate nutrients and sleep ensures that our brains develop to their full potentials, according to the National Institute of Health.
Drink More Water
There’s a simple solution to not drinking enough water: get into the habit of bringing your water bottle with you pretty much everywhere. It’s convenient in allowing yourself to get the amount of water you need throughout the day rather than forcing yourself to chug it at random parts of the day. About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day are needed for men, and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. This seems like a pretty daunting amount, but you will still see good results in your health when you just try the best you can.
Exercise in Ways You Enjoy
Exercise doesn’t have to be boring. You don’t have to go on long runs or lift weights necessarily, but there are so many alternatives to these to improve your health. Playing a sport would most likely get you your daily amount of exercise, which is 30 minutes a day with moderate intensity. You could go on a walk around your neighborhood, or you could go with a friend or walk your dog if you have one. Getting in the habit of walking your dog can keep you accountable for meeting your exercise goals. Also, attempt new things like weight lifting or joining different athletics clubs to see if they may be a good fit for you!
Try Stress Reduction
Two points already mentioned in this article help to reduce stress; getting adequate sleep and exercise. But think about what makes you the most stressed about school, one of the major factors is our own time management. We leave big projects until the last minute, forget to do our homework, and then sacrifice our sleep to get these things done. Working on time management will eliminate the unnecessary stress of having to do an assignment or project all in one night. And then in turn we have time for more sleep and just doing things that make us happy. Another way to help destress is to take regular breaks. Use your lunch period to talk to friends or participate in club activities. When you get home watch a movie and eat a snack before you do homework. And when you’re studying, take little breaks to get up and pet your dog or talk to your family.
Bring Snacks
Eating well is very important and brings about so many benefits like improved memory pathways, faster operation of the brain, as well as better overall health. Just like drinking water, we depend on food to be able to function. Food creates energy which we need more of on a regular school day and to complete the things we need to do. It can be hard to find time to eat enough with a busy schedule so it would be helpful to grab a couple snacks to put in your bag to eat throughout the day. According to the Computer Systems Institute, “your body gains the energy and nutrients it needs to function properly from the foods you eat. Thus, eating the right foods during studying can help you maintain focus and information retention to improve the results of the time you spend.” Although it can be inconvenient to eat breakfast before heading out the door, Breakfast holds its place as the most important meal of the day because “It replenishes your supply of glucose to boost your energy levels and alertness, while also providing other essential nutrients required for good health.” So grabbing a protein bar to eat on the drive to school might not be such a bad idea.
Sources
“Breakfast.” Better Health Channel, Department of Health & Human Services, 9 Aug. 2000, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/breakfast.
Csi-Admin. “Best Foods to Eat While Studying for an Exam.” Computer Systems Institute, 14 Aug. 2015, www.csinow.edu/blog/best-foods-to-eat-while-studying-for-an-exam/#:~:text=Your%20body%20gains%20the%20energy,of%20the%20time%20you%20spend.
NHS Choices, NHS, www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/help-for-teenagers-young-adults-and-students/student-stress-self-help-tips/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.
Home | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, www.ninds.nih.gov/. Accessed 7 Mar. 2025.
