#Teacher5aday 30 Day Challenge: Top Tips
Top tips
If you consider that over 60% of your body is made of water, it should come as no surprise that staying well hydrated is an integral part of being fit and healthy. Unfortunately, despite this well-known fact, drinking enough fluids is something that is often easily overlooked. Research suggests that being dehydrated can affect your mood and mental well-being as well as potentially induce fatigue and headaches. There is much dispute over how much fluid you should drink with the general consensus recommending between 6 and 8 glasses a day. Water, low fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.
Top tips:
- Water is a cheap and healthy option however, if you don’t like the taste of plain water, try flavoured water or add a slice of lemon or lime.
- Make healthy drink choices! Try to avoid drinks that are high in sugar as these are often also high in calories – Plain tea, fruit teas and coffee (without added sugar) can be healthy alternatives.
- Drink with each meal and between each meal.
- Drink before, during and after exercise.
- Drink if you're feeling hungry (thirst can often be confused with hunger).
You probably don’t need to be reminded that eating a healthy, balanced diet is an integral part of staying fit & healthy but, with the ever increasing demands of the job, sustaining a healthy / balanced diet can be a challenge even for the most conscientious of healthy eaters!
According to the NHS: "The key to a healthy diet is to eat the right amount of calories for how active you are so you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use. If you eat or drink more than your body needs, you'll put on weight because the energy you do not use is stored as fat. If you eat and drink too little, you'll lose weight.". Source: 8 tips for healthy eating - NHS (www.nhs.uk).
The Eatwell Guide (A free NHS guide to eating more healthily) also suggests that eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink all help to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight". It also recommends that men have around 2.500 calories (10,500 kilojoules) a day and that women should have around 2,000 calories (8,400 kilojoules) a day.
According to the guide, people should try to:
- eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day
- base meals on starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
- have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)
- eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
- choose unsaturated oils and spreads, eaten in small amounts
- drink plenty of fluids
So, rather than reaching for that sugary snack when in need of a quick energy boost, try picking up a healthy bar or piece of fruit instead!
For more advice on how to maintan a balanced / healthy diet, check out the NHS free 'Eat Well' guide: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/
We all know the signs when our body is telling us that we need to slow down however, with the ever increasing pressures of being a teacher, we often ignore these signs! I often hear the word super-teacher used to describe teachers who work every hour god sends and are still able to function during the working day but, for me, there is nothing super about running yourself into the ground! At the end of the day, teachers are human too! There is no escaping the fact that, no matter what you do as a teacher, there is always going to be work pending and deadlines due but, instead of ignoring the warning signs, when your body tells you that you need a rest, close the lid on your laptop, put down your books and take a break - your mind and body will thank you for it!
One thing often overlooked, as part of a healthier lifestyle, is sleep. The average healthy adult needs between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Not having enough sleep can raise the levels of hormone called cortisol which, when elevated, is linked to abdominal weight gain. After a good night’s sleep you are well-rested and ready to face the next day.
Top tips:
- Set a bedtime for yourself and try your absolute best to stick to it!
- Ban screen time – ‘Blue light’ emitted by devices such as smart phones, tablets etc. can inhibit the production of melatonin (the hormone that tells your body that it’s time to for bed.). Switch off ‘blue light emitting’ devices at least an hour before you go to bed. If your device has a blue light filter, switch this on at night.
- Monitor the temperature / humidity levels in your home / bedroom – The optimal temperature for a good night’s sleep is between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius (60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit). The ideal humidity levels for sleeping are between 30% and 50%. Air that is too dry (less than 30% humidity) can disrupt your sleep and also make you more susceptible to catching a cold. Humidity levels too low? Invest in a humidifier!
Useful links:
https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/nov/11/good-night-teacher-guide-sleep (A teacher’s guide to sleep – and why it matters).
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