August Awareness Month: Tips for a Healthy Back-to-School Start

As summer draws to a close, August marks the advent of a pivotal time—Back-to-School season. As a PBM that advocates for the pass-through PBM model, we underscore the importance of holistic wellness in managing healthcare resources efficiently. Here, we present critical tips to facilitate a healthy back-to-school start, with a focus on key wellness aspects.

1. Prioritize Nutrition

Nutrition is fundamental to a child’s overall health and academic performance. Balanced meals that include a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains provide essential nutrients that support cognitive function, energy levels, and immune health. Encourage families to:

Plan Balanced Breakfasts: Breakfast is crucial for sustaining energy through the first part of the school day. Options like whole grain cereal with milk, yogurt with fresh fruit, or scrambled eggs provide a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. A well-rounded breakfast jump-starts the metabolism and improves concentration and performance in school activities.
Prepare Nutritious Lunches: Include items such as turkey sandwiches on whole grain bread, colorful salads topped with grilled chicken, or a vegetable wrap. Avoid highly processed foods and sugary snacks. Nutritious lunches provide a balanced intake of essential vitamins and minerals, helping to maintain steady energy levels and avoid afternoon slumps. Involving children in lunch preparation can also encourage them to make healthier choices.
Offer Healthy Snacks: Apples, carrot sticks with hummus, or a handful of nuts can sustain energy between meals. Healthy snacks help keep hunger at bay and provide important nutrients that support overall health. Choosing snacks low in added sugars and high in natural goodness ensures a steady supply of energy, which is vital for both physical activity and academic performance.

2. Ensure Adequate Sleep

Sleep significantly impacts a child’s mood, behavior, and cognitive abilities. The recommended sleep duration varies by age, but school-aged children typically need between 9-11 hours per night. Tips for improving sleep hygiene include:

Establish a consistent bedtime: Even on weekends. A regular sleep schedule reinforces the body’s internal clock and helps children get the necessary rest. Consistency aids in making falling asleep and waking up easier. Deviating from this routine, especially on weekends, can disrupt their natural sleep patterns, making the transition back to weekdays more difficult.
Create a calming bedtime routine: Such as reading a book or listening to quiet music. A relaxing pre-sleep routine signals the body it’s time to unwind. Activities like reading a book or listening to quiet music can help to destress and prepare the mind and body for sleep. It’s important to choose activities that are inherently calming and promote a peaceful state of mind.
Reduce screen time before bed: Encourage activities that promote relaxation. The blue light emitted from screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep. Encourage children to engage in screen-free activities such as drawing, writing in a journal, or simple breathing exercises an hour before bedtime to help them wind down naturally and fall asleep more easily.

3. Promote Physical Activity

Physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy body weight and improving overall fitness. It is recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day. Tips to remain active include:

Encourage outdoor play: Organize family activities like biking, hiking, or playing sports.
Promote active transportation: If feasible, walk or bike to school.
Participate in school sports or clubs: Joining a team or club can provide consistent physical activity and foster new friendships.

4. Manage Stress and Mental Health

The transition back to school can be accompanied by stress and anxiety. Addressing mental health is paramount:

Open lines of communication: Encourage children to talk about their feelings and any concerns they might have.
Teach stress management techniques: Such as deep breathing, meditation, or journaling.
Recognize signs of distress: Be vigilant about changes in behavior that may indicate anxiety or depression.

5. Establish a Routine

Having a structured routine helps children feel secure and can improve their ability to focus and learn. Tips for establishing a routine include:

Set regular times for homework and study: Creating a dedicated space for these activities can enhance productivity.
Incorporate time for extracurricular activities: Balance is key.
Maintain consistency: Even amid extracurricular activities and social events.

6. Practice Good Hygiene

Good hygiene practices are crucial in preventing the spread of illness, especially during back-to-school time when there is often an increase in colds and other infections. Important practices to reinforce include:

Regular hand washing: Teach proper techniques and frequency. Ensure children understand how to wash their hands effectively, including scrubbing all parts of the hands with soap for at least 20 seconds and rinsing thoroughly. Encourage hand washing before meals, after using the restroom, after coughing or sneezing, and when coming indoors from outside. Consistent hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent the transmission of infectious agents.
Use tissues and cover coughs/sneezes: To reduce the spread of germs. Show children how to sneeze or cough into a tissue or their elbow if a tissue isn’t available, and dispose of tissues immediately after use. This practice minimizes the dispersion of airborne droplets that can carry viruses and bacteria. Reinforcing this habit helps protect not only the child but also those around them.
Regular hygiene routines: Such as bathing, brushing teeth, and keeping nails trimmed. Daily bathing helps remove dirt, sweat, and potential pathogens from the skin. Brushing teeth at least twice a day prevents dental issues and increases overall oral health. Keeping nails trimmed minimizes the accumulation of dirt and microorganisms under the nails, reducing the likelihood of transmission through hand-to-mouth contact. Establishing these routines promotes a clean and healthy body, preparing children to stay active and engaged during the school year.

7. Limit Screen Time

While technology is an integral part of modern education, excessive screen time can lead to various health problems. Implementing limits on screen time can help:

Set boundaries on recreational screen use: Encourage physical and imaginative play instead. Limiting recreational screen time allows children to engage in activities that promote physical health, creativity, and social interaction. Outdoor play, sports, reading, and arts and crafts are excellent alternatives that foster holistic development.
Encourage screen-free zones or times: Such as during meals or an hour before bedtime. Establishing screen-free zones, like the dinner table, reinforces family bonding and communication by allowing everyone to be present and engaged. Similarly, setting a screen curfew before bedtime can help improve sleep quality, as exposure to screens before sleep can interfere with the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.

8. Foster Healthy Social Interactions

Social well-being is an important aspect of overall health. Encourage healthy social interactions by:

Supporting peer relationships: Encourage participation in activities where children can meet new friends and develop teamwork skills.
Involving children in group activities: Such as sports, clubs, or community events.
Modeling healthy social behavior: Demonstrate respect, active listening, and empathy in your interactions.

9. Ensure Proper Vaccinations

Vaccinations are vital in protecting children from several preventable diseases. As the new school year approaches, ensure that:

Vaccinations are up to date: Consult with healthcare providers to confirm.
Good hygiene practices are reinforced: Such as hand washing and using hand sanitizers.

Risks of Not Practicing a Healthy and Balanced Lifestyle

When school-aged children do not adhere to a healthy and balanced lifestyle, it can have far-reaching consequences that affect their physical health, mental well-being, and academic performance. Understanding these risks underscores the importance of encouraging holistic wellness practices.

1. Physical Health Implications

Nutritional Deficiencies: Poor dietary choices lacking in essential nutrients can lead to deficiencies that impair growth, weaken the immune system, and lower energy levels.
Obesity and Related Conditions: Lack of proper nutrition and physical activity increases the risk of obesity, which can lead to conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular issues.
Weakened Immune System: Insufficient sleep and poor hygiene practices can make children more susceptible to infections and illnesses, leading to increased absenteeism from school.

2. Mental and Emotional Consequences

Cognitive Decline: Inadequate nutrition, poor sleep hygiene, and high levels of stress can adversely affect cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.
Increased Anxiety and Depression: A lack of routine, excessive screen time, and insufficient physical activity can contribute to higher levels of stress and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Behavioral Problems: Mental health struggles can manifest as behavioral issues, which can disrupt classroom environments and impede learning.

3. Academic Performance Challenges

Reduced Focus and Concentration: Poor nutrition, lack of sleep, and high stress levels can result in difficulty maintaining focus, leading to decreased academic performance.
Lowered Engagement: Children who are physically unwell or mentally stressed are less likely to participate in class activities, group projects, or extracurricular activities, limiting their overall growth and engagement.
Higher Absenteeism: Frequent illness due to poor hygiene, a weakened immune system, or mental health issues can lead to increased absenteeism, causing children to fall behind academically.

4. Social and Behavioral Issues

Poor Peer Relationships: Children who struggle with mental health or behavioral problems may find it challenging to build and maintain healthy peer relationships, potentially leading to social isolation.
Lower Self-Esteem: Physical health issues like obesity or frequent illness can affect a child’s self-esteem and body image, impacting their social interactions and confidence levels.
Risky Behaviors: Without proper guidance on stress management and emotional well-being, children may turn to risky behaviors as coping mechanisms.

MaxCare’s Commitment to Health and Wellness

MaxCare understands the importance of living a healthy and balanced lifestyle. We are committed to supporting families, employers, and healthcare providers by offering the resources necessary to promote wellness. By prioritizing physical, mental, and social health, individuals and communities can flourish both in and out of the academic sphere.

In this Back-to-School season, let’s lay a strong foundation for year-round health. Through the collective efforts of parents, educators, and healthcare professionals, we can ensure a healthy, successful start to the school year.