Feeling tired, moody, or nervous? Are you unhappy with your body? Do you have trouble concentrating? Lack of physical activity could be to blame! Check out what the experts are saying:
“Improved health and fitness for adolescents is also associated with social and personal factors such as self-esteem, decreased stress and anxiety, fewer mood disorders, and a general sense of well-being, which are all critical variables particularly for this age group (Jackson et al. 2004)” (Steele, 2011, p. 72).
cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by TEDxPioneerValley2012
Not only will exercise make you feel better, but research tells us that it will also make you smarter! Seriously! A study was done and students who exercised more often achieved better academic scores (Jensen, 2005).
What does that mean for you? You need to be active!
Suggestions to get you moving:
- Use your breaks between classes to go for a brisk walk, or have a quick stretch.
- Use cross-lateral movements (touching opposite parts of your body) to engage both sides of your brain, when you are trying to remember something or problem solve (Jensen, 2005).
- Join a team– soccer, basketball, badminton, volleyball, track, cross-country, or water polo — they will all get your heart pumping, and your body moving!
- Goal set – create and try to beat your own personal fitness goals, this will ensure that you stay motivated and challenge yourself.
- Try active studying – quiz a partner, but instead of having them say the answer or write it down, have them act it out like in the game of Charades! Then switch!
- Direct your teacher to the teacher page and posts on this blog, you will be moving in class in no time!
- Walk to school
- Play with your younger siblings
- Play the dance game at recess with your friends – get the tunes going on someone’s iPod then have one person make a dance move, the next person then repeats that move and makes up a new one. Pretty soon you and your friends will have an entire choreographed dance that you can break out at the next school dance!
Check out these websites for useful information, tips and more!
- http://www.kidnetic.com/
- http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/#cat120
- http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/#cat120
- http://www.dairycouncilofca.org/Tools/TeenBeat/
References
Jackson, A. W., J. R. Morrow, D. W. Hill, and R. K. Dishman. (2004). Physical activity for health and fitness. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Steele, M. M. (2011). Health and Fitness: An Issue for High School Teachers and Students. Clearing House, 84(2), 72-74. doi:10.1080/00098655.2010.516778.
Movement and Learning 