How Can a Healthy Lifestyle Help Improve Your Child's Education

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We all know that kids need plenty of sleep, heck most of us have been at the receiving end of a tantrum due to lack of sleep too right? But did you know that by encouraging your child to get more sleep, eat healthy foods and take part in more physical activity, you could be helping them to improve their education? That’s right; research suggests that students who have a healthy diet and get good sleep are more focused learners, whilst unhealthy lifestyle choices and poor nutrition can have a negative impact on academic achievement.  

We all want the best for our children and for them to get the most out of their education and their time at school. So for this reason we have teamed up with Bassett House, an Independent School in Notting Hill to provide us and you guys with more information about how a healthy lifestyle can improve our children’s education.  

First things first, make sure your children are getting a good hearty breakfast before school; it is the most important meal of the day after all! To get the most out of breakfast, try to choose foods that are rich in protein, B vitamins and fibre. These will all help the body and the brain to function at their best throughout the day. A healthy breakfast will also improve concentration and energy levels to ensure they are ready to learn. If your child is reluctant to eat breakfast why not let them help you choose the breakfast for the week and get them involved with making it. Its an easy meal that kids can quickly learn how to make themselves too. 

It’s not just breakfast that you need to think about, aim to also make snack time a chance to increase the nutrients your child gets throughout the day with healthy choices. Sugary snacks cause a rapid incline of our blood sugar level, which is typically followed by a crash; another cause of fatigue. Try to have plenty of nutritious snacks and fruit/veg readily available for kids to grab and go with. 

It may be a good idea to place restrictions on your child’s screen time in the evenings. Try not to let them get into the habit of staring at a screen when they could be outside playing or engaging in creative activities. Drawing, crafts, reading, running, walking and climbing are all ideal activities for children of all ages and will all contribute to their physical and mental health. Exercise is also one of the most effective ways to improve memory and attention; it can reduce stress and anxiety and help children and adults to learn more. 

Of course if your child enjoys screen time, a favourite tv show or a game on their console you don't need to stop them playing it completely. Perhaps just find a time a little earlier in the day so they can still enjoy it but have enough time to then turn it off and get some downtime before bed too. I find after school my little ones are ready for some time to chill so this works great for them to relax after school for an hour or so. 

Children who have not had enough sleep can find it harder to focus and learn new things. A lack of sleep can also temporarily weaken the part of the brain that manages organisation, planning and problem solving leading to issues in the classroom. Aim for 8 – 9 hours sleep a night depending on your child’s age. 

Implementing a good routine for the whole family can really help ensure everyone gets a good nights sleep which in turn will help everyone no end. Try to keep to a similar routine, especially if you have young children so they begin to notice a pattern each evening, slowly bedtime then becomes less of a struggle. It also means everyone gets some down time before climbing into bed too.

Do you find that you or your children notice an improvement in your mood and concentration after a good nights sleep?

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**This is a collaborative post in which I received a fee.**