School is nearly back in session! Many students are preparing for their first day of school by ensuring they have all their school supplies, know their upcoming classroom schedules, and visit their physicians for preventive care.
Here are some healthy habits to consider before returning back to school this year:
Ensure Adequate Sleep
Sleep improves our ability to focus the next day, especially if we have to look forward to classes filled with studies and extracurricular activities. Sleep helps us perform optimally. Implement a nightly routine to ensure a timely bedtime, remove electronics from all bedrooms and limit all types of electronic entertainment to at least 45 minutes before bed.
Ease Their Concerns
It’s a natural response to be nervous, stressed, or even anxious before the upcoming school year, and with these last few years of online learning, returning to in-person school can be intimidating or exciting. Help ease your students’ concerns by talking with them, answering their questions, and providing reassurance. Equally as important, recognizing signs of chronic stress within your student(s) such as behavioral changes, difficulty sleeping, shifts in eating, etc. consider reaching out and making an appointment with their physician.
Settle Into Daily Routines
An excellent and helpful habit to form within yourself and within your family is a habit of healthy routines. Creating a routine helps aid your body with a healthy immune system by forming habits around your daily activities that keep your health a top priority. After-school snacks like fruits, vegetables, and/or granola bars will help give your student a little boost in their day to complete homework and study for assignments. Limiting time spent on electronics can also be beneficial during the week to keep stress levels at bay.
Schedule Back-to-School Checkups
Take charge of your child’s health by scheduling annual back-to-school checkups. These appointments are a form of preventative care that allows their doctor to perform a thorough physical exam, track their development, and address any concerns. Depending on specific factors, such as your child’s age and grade level, immunizations and tests may also be required. You can also ask the medical professional to complete, and sign required athletic-program documentation during these appointments, as necessary.
Woodlands Diagnostic Clinic is an internal medicine practice providing compassionate, quality patient-centered care at our conveniently located medical clinic in Shenandoah, Texas. Our physicians are committed to optimizing the health and well-being of patients through preventive care and diagnostic care. To schedule a back-to-school checkup or another appointment with our internal medicine practice, please contact us at (281) 863-9554.
