"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Physical wellness is more than just exercise. It includes:
Medical/Preventative Care
Good Nutrition
Exercise/movement
Maintaining a healthy diet
Avoiding self destructive habits
Knowing your body’s limits & warning signs
(Advanced Courses, n.d.)
Benefits of exercise:
Maintain a healthy weight
Reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some cancers
Strengthen your bones and muscles
Improves mood and emotional balance
Increases the chances of you living longer
(Advanced Courses, n.d.)
Apps for exercise:
Reshape Me Noom
Open Fit Fitness Buddy
C5K Map my Run
Steezy JEFIT Workout Planner
Fyt 30 Day Fitness at Home
Aaptiv. Home Workouts
Obe Nike Training Club
FitOn Daily workouts fitness trainer
Tips for when you’re feeling unmotivated:
Make everyday changes like parking farther away, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.
Commit to just doing 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes you can stop, and accept that that is ok for today. If you can do more, do more.
Mix it up! Do things you haven’t tried before, and vary what activities you do.
Reward yourself for working out
Sign a contract-- especially ones you have to pay for! Money can be a great motivator.
Find an accountability partner. This will help you both stay on track.
(Advancement Courses, n.d.)
Sleep
Most people need between 7.5-8.5 hours of sleep, yet Americans average 6.8 hours with 40% of Americans getting less than 7 hours of sleep. (Jones, 2013.)
Lack of sleep can impair your abilities to concentrate, think clearly, and process memories. (Fry, 2020.)
Lack of sleep can also lead to delayed reactions, mood shifts, and reduced cognitive abilities (Fry, 2020.)
40% of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month — with 20% reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more. (APA, 2008.)
69% of children experience one or more sleep problems a few nights or more during a week. (APA, 2008.)
according to the NHSA, falling asleep while driving is responsible for at least 100,000 crashes, 71,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths each year in the United States. (APA, 2008.)
60 percent of grade school and high school children reporting that they are tired during the daytime and 15 percent of them admitting to falling asleep in class.(APA, 2008.)
Apps for sleep:
Headspace
Nosili
Pzizz
Slumber
Calm
Sleep Cycle
10% Happier
Reflectly
Sleepiest
Moshi
Awaken
Relax Melodies
Sleepstation
Sleepa
Relax Melodies
Strategies to help you get more sleep:
-Establish a realistic bedtime and stick to it regularly, even on weekends.
-Maintain comfortable temperatures and keep lights low in the bedroom.
-Have comfortable pillows & bedding
-Consider a "screen ban" in your bedroom
-Abstain from alcohol, caffeine, or large meals before bed
-Refrain from using tobacco
-Exercise during the day. (Fry, 2020.)
Strategies for Good Nutrition:
Carry a water bottle with you
"Eat the rainbow" : the more colorful your plate that includes fruits and veggies, the more health compounds you will have in your diet
Avoid processed foods
Plan ahead to help you stick to your goal
Think about portion size
Skip refined foods and added sugar
Snack on small portions of healthy foods in between meals
Eat mindfully- focus on eating without your tv or phone to enjoy the experience
(Advancement Courses, n.d.)
Exercise
Different types of Exercise Available on youtube:
Yoga Examples & Benefits
WERQ fitness (Dance)
Seated exercise for restricted movements
Free Workout Videos
Advancement Courses (n.d.) Self-care for teachers
Fry, Alexa. “Why Do We Need Sleep?” Sleep Foundation, OneCare Media, 11 Sept. 2020, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/why-do-we-need-sleep.
“Why Sleep Is Important and What Happens When You Don't Get Enough.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, Oct. 2008, https://www.apa.org/topics/sleep/why