By: Fizza Zehra
1. Exercise regularly. Teenagers should be physically active at least 60
minutes every day. If you have never exercised before, start with 10
minutes a day. Do whatever you like during this time, be it going to the
gym, Zumba, dance, yoga, just make sure you are moving around.
2. Have a healthy diet. Healthy eating is an important part of your growth
and development. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, a
variety of protein foods, and low-fat dairy products. Avoid excess
consumption of sugar and oily foods as much as you can.
3. Get enough sleep. Most teens need between 9 and 9 ½ hours of sleep
every night. However, many of them only average about 7 hours. Sleep
has a strong effect on your ability to concentrate and do well at school.
Knocking off sleep is not healthy and it has long term health effects.
4. Learn ways to manage stress. You can’t always avoid stress, so you
need to learn how to manage it. This will help you stay calm and be able
to function in stressful situations. Activities such as yoga and meditation
help soothe the body.
5. Study and do your best in school. There is a strong link between health
and academic success. Give your best at school. Make notes and pay
attention to what the teacher is saying. Even though it can be tiring, it’s for
your own good!
6. Try to maintain a good relationship with your parents. Remember that
they want what is best for you. Try to see where they are coming from
when they set rules. Put yourself in their shoes and remember that they
were once teenagers too. Talk to them politely to help them understand
your viewpoint.
7. Develop a good balance between school, work, and social life. Soon
you will be going to college. This is a great time to meet people from
different backgrounds, build lifelong relationships, and get involved in
plenty of great extracurriculars. Unfortunately, students sometimes
struggle with finding time for academics amidst all the excitement. Making
a balance is extremely important because the most fun years of your life
are also the most crucial ones.
8. Don’t try to take on too much. Limit your activities to the most important
ones and give those all your effort. Overextending yourself can lead to
stress, frustration, or exhaustion. Never overburden your schedule
because that way you won’t be able to focus on any of them and perform
your best. You will probably end up quitting all of them or burdening your
health.
9. Avoid substance use or abuse. This includes alcohol, street drugs, other
people’s prescription drugs, and any type of tobacco product. Drugs are
chemicals that affect your body and brain. Different drugs can have
different effects. These may include health consequences that are long-
lasting and permanent, continuing even after a person has stopped taking
the substance. Today, more than 7 million people suffer from an illicit drug
disorder, and one in four deaths results from illicit drug use. In fact, more
deaths, illnesses, and disabilities are associated with drug abuse than any
other preventable health condition. People suffering from drug and alcohol
addiction also have a higher risk of unintentional injuries, accidents, and
domestic violence incidents.
10. Drive safely. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in U.S.
teenagers. Always use your seat belt. Avoid riding in a car full of other
teenagers. This may distract the driver and make an accident more likely.
Never get in a car with a driver who has been drinking.
11. Wear protective headgear. Wear a helmet when you are riding a bike or
participating in sports to prevent concussions. Concussions at a young
age can have lifelong negative effects on your health. Most of the
accidents in teens occur due to rash driving and result in severe damage
for your entire lifetime.
12. Avoid violence. Stay away from situations where violence or fighting may
cause you to be physically injured, especially street fights.