by Courtney Shay

Created on: February 18, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

Teen Wellness

Today's teens face many choices when it comes to making decisions that will affect their wellness. In order to make the right ones, teens such as myself should consider what is healthy and what isn't. There are several things to take into account: amount of sleep, exercise and nutrition, and stress levels.

The amount of sleep that a person gets is very important to his or her physical and mental well being. Lack of sleep can sap away energy, make a person irritable, as well as lead to depression. The best thing for a teen, or anyone, to do to reduce stress and maintain wellness is to get plenty of rest. One way to do this would be to establish a definite sleeping pattern. Going to bed and rising at the same time each day helps to ensure those precious sleeping hours.

Proper nutrition and exercise are also essential to heath and stress reduction. Well balanced meals are very important to the body's well being. It's important to consume foods from each of the different groups in order to supply the body with a variety of nutrients. Exercising also has many benefits. It strengthens the heart, bones and lungs as well as tones muscles. It also can help a person sleep better and relieve depression and stress.

Too much stress in a teenager's life can be detrimental to his or her health. Students have a tendency to become stressed, especially if they have high expectations of themselves. Overworking can lead to negative stress which may have dangerous physical and psychological effects. Changes in appetite, aching bodies, or increased vulnerability to illnesses are some of these effects. Also, a person may feel depressed, unable to study or focus in class, unhappy, or anxious. The best way to deal with stress, is to find the source of the problem. This way a person can find the exact ways to deal with the situation. It's also important to keep a healthy lifestyle which will reduce the chances of being over-stressed.

Health and wellness are important in so many ways. It's crucial to do all that is possible to maintain them.

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