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Mental Health Wellness
Mental Health Wellness
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Sleep is the foundation to feeling good. If your child is not getting at least 9-12 hours of good quality, uninterrupted sleep, they will most likely feel anxious and be easily stressed.
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Sugar and processed foods (foods that are not found in nature) are a major contributor to anxiety and other medical problems. Our bodies and minds need nutrition from "real" food.
- Nutrition and Mental Health
- Healthy Food for Kids
- Athlete Plates
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Our bodies need to move. Children (teens and adults too) should be spending their time outside of school running, playing, and moving. Several studies have found that exercise can build your resilience, protect your brain against the damaging effects of stress, and show that it has the same effects on mood and the brain as antidepressant medications.
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In today's fast-paced world and endless distractions, we are in need of some intentional practice of mind discipline. Breathing is essential to helping ourselves find a place of calm. Oxygen to the brain is very calming to our nervous system. Below has several examples of breathing, imagery, progressive muscle techniques, and other calming strategies to incorporate in your daily life.
- Spencerport Virtual Calming Room
- Calming Strategies
- Mindfulness and Other Calming Strategies Book List
- Mindful Teachers Living, Learning, and Teaching with Mindful Awareness
- Mindfulness for Kids and Their Adults
- Kids Relaxation Helping Parents and Educators Activate Children's Highest Potential
- Mindfulness for Teens Discovering Your Inner Strength
- Inner Health Studio Coping Skills and Relaxation Resources
- 25 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Children and Teens
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Breathe2Relax
Calm
Headspace
Smiling Mind -
Relationships play a huge role in how children feel. It is important to feel connected to others. Ask yourself the following questions - Does your child feel loved? Do they have healthy relationships with you and their siblings? Do they have at least one friend? Feeling stressed can make you feel lonely. When you are feeling overwhelmed, it is important to find someone to talk with.
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It is important that children have quiet time away from screens. It is good for them to experience boredom and it is necessary that they "unplug". According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children should be limited to less than two hours of screen time a day. So, go outside, move, explore, and have fun!
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Practicing gratitude provides several physical and psychological health benefits. It enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Studies show that grateful people sleep better and it increases self-esteem.
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Self-compassion is simply the process of turning compassion inward. Research shows that self-compassion is one of the most powerful sources of coping and resilience we have available, radically improving our mental and physical well-being.
And remember, the goal of the above lifestyle areas is improvement, not perfection. It is important to have a balance.
The Family Support Center does not endorse any organizations or individuals outside of the Spencerport Central School District. These resources are for informational purposes and should be pursed based on the consumer's own criteria.