Proper physical health can be a significant contributor to good mental health. Studies confirm that being physically active has multiple benefits, such as:
- Improved self-esteem, strength, self-confidence, immune function, focus, attention, memory, social connection, quality of sleep, motivation, and life satisfaction.
- Decreased levels of stress, depression, weight, diabetes, and other health problems.
Physical health prepares your child’s body to respond as best it can to the demands, experiences, disappointments, successes, emotions, and failures of life. Being physically fit means exercising, getting sufficient rest, and eating the right food. It goes beyond appearances to genuinely taking care of the body God gave you and using it for its intended purpose.
Exercise
Make time for a consistent 10-minute workout each day. Try some push-ups, sit-ups, stretching, biking, hiking, walking, running, or swimming. The great thing about exercise is that you can mix it up! By doing these activities with your child, you positively model the value of the physical activity, and you will both feel energized afterward.
Sleep
When it comes to sleep, the majority of families are running on fumes. Almost all of us could benefit from more rest. The difference in how our bodies and brains function when we don’t sleep enough is noticeable.
Sleeping well and allowing the body to rest is an essential part of physical fitness that most people devalue. God encourages rest, and He created sleep to refuel and balance us. While we sleep, our brains solve problems, store memories, and help the body to repair itself. The National Sleep Foundation’s recommendations for the amount of sleep we need differs by age.
Eating Well
Help your kids think about their bodies like a one-of-a-kind sportscar. The catch is that it’s the only car they will get to own—ever. They would want to take excellent care of it by getting all the required maintenance and putting in the best fuel they could find. Remind them that our bodies are just like that car, and the food we eat is our fuel.
If you eat for fuel (to give your body the right nutrition), you are likely to make good food choices. If you eat in response to emotions and to make yourself feel good, you will probably not make the best decisions for your body. For some kids, food becomes an escape or an addiction to try to cope with the problems of life. Help kids see your refrigerator as a gas station for the body. When they put the right fuel in, their body will thank them by running well. Eating a balanced and healthy diet makes a huge difference in how his or her brain will function.
