Playtimes HK Magazine The School Book 2019-2020 | Page 21
Mental wellness
Mental wellness is defined as “a state of well-being in which
the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope
with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and
fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her
community (World Health Organization).” Children are being
taught ways to relax and focus at school by using reflection
time and mindfulness.
There are many ways to improve mental wellness and
some of them are related to the other pillars of wellness
such as getting a full night of sleep, eating a healthy diet and
keeping yourself active.
Sleep
Sleep affects every system in your body and is fundamental
to maintaining mental health, physical health, quality of life,
and safety. Lack of sleep increases hunger, decreases
awareness and cognitive function and adversely affects the
desire to exercise.
“Babies, children, and teens need significantly more
sleep than adults to support their rapid mental and physical
development. One of the reasons it’s so hard to know when
our kids are getting insufficient sleep is that tired children don’t
necessarily slow down the way
we do—they wind up. In fact, sleepiness can look like
symptoms of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Children often act as if they’re not tired, resisting bedtime and
becoming hyper as the evening goes on. All this can happen
because the child is overtired.” https://sleepfoundation.org/
excessivesleepiness/content/how-much-sleep-do-babies-
and-kids-need
If you want to improve the quality of your life, improve the
quality of your sleep. For optimal health, the number of hours
an individual needs for sleep varies.
How much sleep do you really need?
Age Sleep Needs
Newborn (0-2 months) 12-18 hours
Infant (3-11 months) 14-15 hours
Toddlers (1-3 years) 12-14 hours
Preschoolers (3-5 years) 11-13 hours
School-age children (5-10 years) 10-11 hours
Teens (10-17 years) 8.5 - 9.25 hours
Adults 7-9 hours
Nutrition
For growing children, whose brains are still developing and
changing the impact of good nutrition is far more significant
than for adults. Nutrients like healthy fats, protein, complex
carbohydrates, micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and
phytonutrients) and water are essential in supporting all the
important functions of the brain.
What’s the best fat for brain health and learning?
Omega-3 oils from foods like fish, nuts, seeds and dark leafy
greens are the best fats for the learning brain.
What role does protein play in learning? Protein
provides amino acids which are the building blocks of
neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers of the brain.
Proteins are crucial to brain function. Eating sufficient protein
also helps avoid issues such as poor concentration and
memory.
Legumes, nuts, seeds, quinoa, oats, cheese, fish, chicken
and other quality sourced meats all provide protein.
Carbohydrates – Sugar, fiber and starch While the brain
does require glucose (sugar) to function, too much sugar or
refined carbohydrates at one time can actually deprive your
brain of glucose. Eating sugar provides a boost in energy
but excessive sugar consumption can cause bursts of energy
followed by fidgeting, headaches, trouble concentrating, or
drowsiness.
Extra sugar in our diets from processed foods like deli
meat, bread and most pre-made sauces and snacks, results
in obesity, diabetes and increases the risk of heart disease.
This is a serious threat to overall health.
Along with fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as
whole wheat bread, rye, barley and quinoa are complex
carbohydrates which are better choices than highly refined
white bread, French fries, cookies and processed foods in
packages.
Exercise
Exercise has countless health benefits and is crucial to
well-being. There is strong scientific evidence that being
physically active can help you lead a healthier and even
happier life. People who do regular physical activity have a
lower risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease,
type 2 diabetes, stroke, and some cancers. Research shows
that physical activity can also boost self-esteem, mood, sleep
quality and energy.
Children ages 6 and up should get a minimum of 1 hour of
physical activity every day, according to CDC guidelines. It
doesn’t all have to be done at once and keep in mind most
kids get this amount of exercise from playing outside with
friends during and after school.
Tiffany Beeson, MSc
Physiology/Exercise Physiology
The School Book 2019-2020
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