Healthy Lifestyle

Healthy lifestyles means making positive changes to boost your child’s physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. 

For children this means eating a balanced diet, 60 minutes of exercise a day, spending time having fun with family and friends, getting enough sleep, good personal hygiene and attending health appointments. 

NHS Choices say that Children who are a healthy weight are more likely to be fitter, healthier, better able to learn, more self-confident and less likely to have health problems later in life. 

If you feel your child needs some extra support with healthy lifestyles, please complete and return a referral to the School health team.

Diet and nutrition

Children need a varied and balanced diet to help them stay healthy, grow and develop. 

Sleep

Sleep is essential for children’s physical and mental wellbeing. We need the right amount of sleep  for:

• Learning – sleep boosts your concentration, attention and ability to store information learnt
• Rest and repair – for growth and to strengthen your immune system to help tackle illnesses
• Reducing stress levels – the right amount of sleep is good for your emotional and mental health

A child might struggle with sleep because of: 

1. Changes or worrying things that have happened in their life’s
2. Bad dreams and night time fears
3. Not having a regular bedtime & daily routine
4. Being ‘over-stimulated’ before bedtime by some foods or drinks, screen time or social media
5. Their bedroom’s environment is too hot/cold, too light/dark or noisy/quiet
6. Bedwetting

Check out these links for tips on helping your child sleep:

• Children – The Sleep Charity
• https://media.gosh.nhs.uk/documents/Sleep_hygiene_F1851_FINAL_Jun20.pdf (GREAT ORMAND STREET)
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/health/sleep-problems-in-young-children/ (NHS CHOICES)

Youtube video