25 May 2012
Five simple ways to make everyone feel more lively and ready for action.
De-stress – have fun together
Stress, frustration and anger can all drain energy levels. Build chill-out time into your weekend to create a habit – the Saturday morning trek to favourite café, a weekly challenge to beat dad at Monopoly.
Cut down on sugar
Sweet foods create a spike in blood sugar followed by a rapid drop which makes you feel tired despite the initial burst of energy. Instead, try these tips for energy boosting savvy snacks.
Keep hydrated
Water carries nutrients around our bodies and helps flush out the waste, plus it’s necessary for the chemical processes of cell rejuvenation. Many drinks will hydrate us but water comes without any additives. Kids often need reminding to drink so always keep jugs or bottles of drinks handy.
Exercise together
Finding time to get to the gym isn’t easy for many parents, so this is win-win. Eg:
• swimming races against mum at the local pool
• timed jogs from ‘A’ to ‘B’ to ‘C’ at the park
• a swingball ‘tournament’ in the garden
Sleep easy
The length of sleep we really need varies from person to person, sticking to regular bedtime hours (even at weekends) is important, as is removing distractions like a TV, radio or computer. Here are some more sleep tips.
Savvy tips
Late nights and dozy mornings can create a battleground with teenagers! Approach sleep from a positive angle (eg the body needs sleep to look great or be at its sporty best) rather than coming across like you’re ‘putting baby to bed’.
Pass it on – give the brain a breakfast boost, too
Through the day our brains use up 20% of the oxygen and glucose our body produces. Breakfasts which encourage the slow-release of glucose into our blood help us stay perky for longer – especially good for children and teens heading off for a day at school. Check out Best family breakfasts.
