Teenage is the growing age between 13 to 19 years where a person goes through significant physical, emotional and psychological changes. It is also the perfect age to mould yourself into becoming the best version of yourself. By developing healthy habits in this age one can reap its benefits throughout the life. Below are 11 healthy habits for teens to develop and follow in order to live a healthy lifestyle.
Exercise Regulary
Being active for 60 mins everyday keeps everyone in good shape and developing this habit in teenage can help you in the long run to stay fit and healthy. Being physically active also saves you from becoming obese and lethargic lifestyle. Exercising regularly keeps your physique in check and muscles healthy. Exercising regularly will also keep you from getting over weight. It also enhances mood and triggers happy emotions.
Eat Healthy Food
Eating food with good nutrition value and having a balanced diet in teenage is very important as this is the phase when you’re growing and your body needs adequate quantity of nutrition. Teens should follow a well balanced diet which includes carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins and fats. Teens should also include fruits and vegetables in their diet. Adding whole grains, protein foods and low fat dairy products in your diet will provide you with essential nutrients which are needed for growth and development.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting up to 8 to 9 hrs of sleep during your teenage years helps you function better and is quite helpful in keeping you active and getting enough sleep also helps your ability to concentrate and do well in school. So make it a habit to go to bed early and wake up feeling fresh and energized.
Eliminate Processed Food
Avoiding and eliminating processed food from your eating habits is another habit teens should follow as processed food contains high amount of salt and sugar, poor quality fat. Most often processed foods contain few or almost no amount of dietary fibre or nutritional value that a home cooked meal could provide. Regular and High consumption of these foods could lead to risk many diseases and cause many health problems in your adulthood.
Take Care Of Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing them on a regular basis will save your teeth from getting cavities and gum problems. By making this a habit in teenage you can prevent any teeth or gum problem in adulthood. If you don’t brush your teeth regularly, a white transparent layer of bacteria coats the teeth, which is known as plaque. This causes cavities over time on your permanent teeth so it’s best to brush and floss your teeth regularly.
Study Hard
Teenage years are the years where most of the students decide what they are interested in pursuing as a career or what passion they have which needs to get moulded into a career choice. All this is only possible when you study sincerely and do well in your exams. Taking your education seriously now will always benefit you in the long run. These are the years which you can utilize to groom yourself in order to achieve your goals. Teens should make it a habit to study at least for 2 to 3 hours a day and with this you can ace your tests and get good grades in school.
Maintain Healthy Weight
It is very easy to fall into the loophole of eating junk food everyday and having unhealthy eating habits will ultimately lead you towards obesity and many health problems. In order to avoid this, it is of utmost importance that you maintain a healthy diet and a healthy weight. Maintaining healthy weight in your teenage years will keep you away from the risk of chronic illness, depression and bullying.
Meditate
Meditation relaxes the mind and makes it strong with time. It also improves your mood and calms down your nerves. It also controls anxiety and enhances self awareness. Developing this habit in teenage can prove very beneficial as it also helps in getting rid of negative thoughts which in turn saves you from unwanted stress. Meditating everyday for even just 5 minutes could significantly improve your concentration power and help you in sorting out your thoughts.
Save Money
Saving money in your teenage years is a healthy habit to develop as you can learn money management which is a very important life resource. This will also give you an idea about financial independence and only buying what you need. This vital habit will not only provide you financial security and freedom but also will secure you in a financial emergency. Saving money is always better than making unnecessary expenditures. Also, avoid debt as it would get you a lot of unwanted stress.
Wear A Helmet
Always wear a helmet while riding a bicycle, bike or while participating in sporting events to avoid concussions. As concussions at a young age can have negative effects on your health which could be lifelong. Protecting yourself from harm or any accident by always wearing a helmet while riding a bike is a habit that, when inculcated at a young age, will benefit you throughout the life.
Read Books
Reading books develops your brain and helps you in gaining knowledge which could prove useful in your life. Reading also improves memory and helps in widening your vocabulary. It also improves cognitive ability and reading is an excellent way to build your language skills. Reading is also a distinguished way of developing an active imagination and it often helps in building emotional and social skills as well. Books are the best company to keep and you will always gain knowledge from them.
This article has briefly touched upon the few habits that can do wonders for teenagers if they adopt them. Leading a healthy life is must for children and adults alike, and teenage years are the most formative years when one can inculcate healthy habits easily in his/her routine.
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3381431/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432849/
