Ms. Arey and Health

“5 Tips to Better Your Physical and Mental Health with Ms. Arey”

by Shannon Fahey

In my recent interview with Ms. Arey, our head athletic trainer at Holly Springs High School, she listed great ways that we can strengthen our physical and mental health. Listed below are a few of her suggestions.

To stay physically active, Ms. Arey states that everyone should get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Those 30 minutes of exercise don’t have to be anything vigorous, just a way to get your heart pumping and endorphin levels to rise. Going outside for a daily walk or bike ride is a great way to better your physical health.

Another way you can stay healthy is by having a support system of people you’re comfortable talking to. Opening up about your feelings and what’s on your mind is a great method to staying mentally well. Shoving all the negative thoughts and feelings down is a very unhealthy way to cope, leading to many physical and mental health problems. To avoid these issues, talking with others is very important.

Teenagers are often obsessed with their phones and can spend as much as seven (7) hours a day on them. For our well-being, we need to take breaks from social media and electronics. Taking breaks from electronics and the toxicity from social media can increase productivity, increase happiness, reduce stress, and allow you to relax.

Keeping a calendar of all the important events in our lives is an exceptional strategy for staying organized and motivated. Losing track of what’s going on and when assignments are due can be very stressful and cause anxiety to spike. It’s essential for our health to stay calm so we should all keep calendars in order to maintain our sanity.

One of the easiest ways to maintain a healthy physical and mental state is getting at least fifteen (15) minutes of sun every day. Just going outside on a nice, sunny day can boost your mood and be a great way to get the vitamin D your body needs. Depending on your skin type, you might need more sun exposure in comparison to others, but you should always aim for around 15 minutes daily.