Wellness and self-care are important for students and parents.

A persons overall wellness includes many factors including: Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, Environmental, and Social. These factors contribute to our overall quality of life.

Self-care is a term that describes everything you do deliberately for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. While some may think that self-care is selfish, that could not be farther from the truth. Just like the directions given when traveling by plane, they tell you in case of an emergency to put your mask on first before you help others. You can't give your best to others if you aren't taking care of yourself. When you practice self-care, you can then be the best version of yourself for the people around you.

Sleep

Numerous studies reinforce the value of adequate sleep. One value of sleep is that it helps maintain many vital functions of the body, giving cells and tissues worn out by daily life time to recover.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following minimum and maximum hours each age group should regularly sleep during a 24-hour period for optimal health:

• Ages 4-12 months: 12-16 hours (including naps)

• Ages 1-2 years: 11-14 hours (including naps)

• Ages 3-5 years: 10-13 hours (including naps)

• Age 6-12 years: 9-12 hours

• Age 13-18 years: 8-10 hours

Simple ideas for getting better sleep and regular exercise include:

• Maintain a routine that includes a consistent bedtime. Plan to get the rest you need so that each day you can better address your students’ needs.

• Explore sleep apps that offer real-time data regarding your sleep hours and patterns. Apps vary in accuracy, but they may capture a picture of your depth of sleep and wakefulness.

Physical Movement

Our bodies naturally want to move! Regular physical activity provides the following health benefits:

• Improved weight management

• Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers

• Lower blood pressure

• Reduced risk of heart attack

• Increased energy levels

• Improved overall mood

• Reduced stress levels

Even if you don't workout daily or go to the gym, there are still small steps you can take. It is a good idea to establish an exercise schedule. This could include quick successes such as a walk, fitness class, or bike ride. If you can't get outside, you can walk up and down the stairs at your house, hold your own dance party at home, or do exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, etc. Try to set aside 15 or 20 minutes a day to be physically active. You can try out fitness apps like DownDog, or there are a ton of workouts of all kinds on YouTube.

Meditation

Studies have found that meditation has profound benefits.

• Meditation boosts our immune system's ability to fight off illness.

• The practice increases positive emotions while reducing stress and negative feelings.

• It helps us tune out distractions and improves attentiveness.

• Meditation fosters compassion and kindness.

• Motivates you to put in more effort to whatever you’re doing.

• It facilitates your teaching ability to place focus where it’s needed, hence avoiding distraction.

• It instills calmness and confidence.

When you take some time to meditate outside the noises around, your mind gets refreshed and open to new ideas. Calm and refreshed teachers are better able to inspire, make connections with students, and handle difficult situations.