MAKING LIFE CHOICESNovember 2016 Character Education

LEARNING TARGET

Learning Target: I can identify ways to be mentally and physically healthy by making good life choices.

NOW THAT YOU’RE IN JUNIOR HIGH…

Your old enough to start making SOME of your own decisions!!!

ARE YOU A GARBAGE GUZZLER?

It’s no secret that most of us LOVE sugar! Too many sweet treats, sodas and energy drinks, and processed food is NOT good for us. Teens consume the largest amounts of sugar, and studies show it affects the still-developing adolescent brain by increasing blood flow to the parts of the brain that control reward and executive functioning (which is in charge of focusing our attention, remember instructions, planning, organizing, and multi-tasking). It teaches our brain to want more!

Don’t drink your calories. When we consume calories in liquid form, our bodies don’t recognize them in the same form as solid food, and we don’t cut our food intake.

THE CARB FEST… OR FEAST!

Sometimes the pizza, pasta, pretzels, and fries call to us! If you’re eating a meal full of simple carbohydrates, you’re missing out on the nutrients that keep up the “pep in your step” and concentration throughout the day.

Balance your meals with fiber (found in fruits and veggies), protein (found in meat and beans) and healthy fats (avocado or peanut butter).

YOU SNOOZE… YOU CRUISE!

Did you know at your age you should get 8 ½ to 9 hours of sleep? Many of you are sleep deprived which creates problems:

Performance is worse on cognitive tasks and testing Causes more emotional distress and behavior problems Causes students to be inattentive, impulsive, hyperactive

Sleep supports brain processes that are critical to learning, memory, and emotion regulation. At night, the brain reviews and consolidates information acquired from the day , making it easier to retrieve later.

ARE YOU A CELL PHONE SNUGGLER?

Are you staying up TOO late? Being a cell phone snuggler is the #1 sleep-sucker for teens. Technology emits something called blue light, which triggers your brain’s “on” switch, making you more alert before bed time, and being sleepier when it’s time to wake up.

Some of you are reading, using your technology, playing video games, maybe even doing homework! (You know who you are!!!)

Get to bed at a reasonable time… the alarm clock is not always music to our ears.

DO YOU SUFFER FROM PERMA-SLOUCH?

When you’re deep in though in class, you probably don’t realize you’re scrunching up your shoulders and leaning too far forward in a slouch. This type of posture can contribute to headaches and can also be linked to your soaring stress levels. A Harvard University study found that those with a powerful, straight posture have lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Periodically check your posture and place both feet flat on the floor, stretch your arms behind your back and straighten your spine.

WHO LOVES THE SOUND OF MUSIC?

OK… THE SOUND OF YOUR MUSIC!

If you want to keep enjoying your favorite tunes…. Turn your music down to avoid becoming one of the many teens or young adults who are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss. Seriously… this is a thing. According to the World Health Organization, this is happening around the globe.

You have 15,000 tiny hair cells in each ear that help your brain process sounds and once they are gone… they are GONE! Music or speech may sound muffled or you might get a ringing sensation in your ears. Eventually you could lose your hearing completely. Next time you are at a Justin Bieber concert… you might want to consider wearing ear plugs. ;)

EARMUFFS JUST GOT REALLY COOL…

Doctors suggest wearing headphones that sit on your head like earmuffs rather than earbuds, which pipe music directly into your ear canal.

ARE YOU HAVING A STARING CONTEST WITH YOUR COMPUTER?

If you feel like there’s a marching band in your head when you’ve been scrolling online for hours… STOP!

The muscles in your eyes (ciliary muscles) could get stuck constantly firing when you perform up-close tasks. Like any muscles, these guys get tired and sore. That’s when you may experience the symptoms of digital eye strain – dry, irritated eyes, blurred vision, head, neck, and back pain.

Make sure you are looking away from your device and blinking.

Take LOOOOOOONNNNGGGGG breaks from your technology devices and do something else!

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK FOR MORE TIPS ON STAYING HEALTHY & HAPPY!

Information adapted from CHOICES the current health life-skills magazine for teens.