Planning a healthy lifestyle for one person is hectic, so it’s a whole ball game when it comes to doing it for the whole family. However, the benefits cannot be stressed enough. A healthy family means fewer visits to the doctor, which helps improve your finances. The problem is that the pandemic has forced many families to remain indoors and adopt a sedentary lifestyle.
So while many people are taking the necessary steps to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, there has been an increase in unhealthy behaviours, including a sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity is problematic to everyone in a family as it increases the risks of cardiovascular diseases, weight gain, and other ailments. So how can a parent keep the entire household healthy? Use the following tips.
Establish Healthy Eating Habits
Children often see their parents or guardians as role models. That is why if parents encourage a healthy lifestyle at home, kids are likely to adopt the habit and even implement it in their adult life. Besides, the earlier the healthy habits are enforced, the easier it becomes for children to embrace them. For instance, the whole family should strive to eat healthy snacks and consume sugary desserts only on special occasions.
Don’t forget to prepare a balanced diet every day and include fresh vegetables and fruits at every meal.
Be Proactive
When it comes to a family’s overall well-being, be proactive. For example, if a child struggles to understand specific subjects, don’t be afraid to request help from a reputable essay writing service like grademiners.com. laweekly.com has given a comprehensive article on the top platforms with subject experts who can help improve your kid’s academic success in every subject.
You should also be proactive in your children’s appointments to the doctor or dentists as it assists in tracking their development. So take small proactive steps to reduce stress levels and improve your overall well-being and that of your family.
Quality Sleep Should Be a Priority
When kids are young, it’s easy to command them to go to bed at a specific time. However, once they grow older, sleep becomes less of a priority. This sometimes means you sleep at least 6 hours; other days, you get so busy that you are lucky if you squeeze in 2 hours of sleep. Establishing a consistent sleep routine for the whole family is a great lifestyle habit to have because lack of quality sleep affects mood and concentration.
Besides, you may not see any problem with allowing the kids to stay one more hour just to watch television or play. The problem is that each hour of sleep lost eventually adds up to form sleep debt which ultimately leads to various health problems, including stroke, hypertension, obesity, and depression. So apart from establishing a regular bedtime for all family members, parents should be the primary example.
Make Bonding Time Necessary
Quality family time comes with many benefits such as:
- Teaches communication skills
- Forms a solid emotional support system
- Builds confidence and enhances self-esteem
- Lessens behavioural issues
- Teaches kids life skills
- Improves physical health
We live in a world where most people are on their screens, and many families spend less time together. Yet, family bonding time is crucial in building stronger and healthier relationships. It’s also good for mental, physical, and well-being. It also helps to form wonderful memories that the whole household can revisit later on.
Make Physical Activity a Family Thing
While there are numerous advantages of exercising, doing it as a family affair adds a fun aspect. It doesn’t have to be a strenuous exercise that involves equipment or complex poses. Instead, it can be a simple physical activity like walking the dog every evening or setting a specific time every day to play or walk outdoor. Riding a bike or playing a particular game that your children enjoy are other great ways to enjoy physical activity as a family.
Reduce Screen Time
Most families have a habit of eating while watching television or spending their free time catching up on their favourite shows. However, screen time has several adverse effects, not just for kids but also for adults. For example, screen time encourages a sedentary lifestyle which increases the risk for several health ailments.
The trick to limiting screen time is for parents to set an example for their children. Instead of watching television, opt to read a book with your kids or play board games. Additionally, use apps to limit daily screen hours for the whole household and ensure everyone knows there is a specific hour in a day to unplug from electronics, including computers, TV, and mobile phones.
