Five tips to turbo charge your teen's health this autumn

Sep 28, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Jul 22

Autumn has arrived, and as we enjoy its theatrical display of colour, with trees blazing yellow, orange and red, the evenings and mornings grow darker and a distinctive chill nips the air, reminding us that winter is on its way.

It’s a good time to take stock of health and wellbeing, making sure your teen is staying as fit as they can and keeping their immune system ready to fend off the inevitable colds and sniffles as winter takes hold. Read on for our top five tips to turbo charge health. If you’d like to know about other things you can do at home to support your teen with their studies, take a look at The Parents’ Guide to Homelife and Study - GCSEs and The Parents' Guide to Homelife and Study - sixth form.

Mental and physical wellbeing are influenced by a number of factors, so it’s good to strike a balance between them all to maximise health. Focusing on one at the expense of another means your teen isn’t nurturing all the strands that feed into their overall fitness, and sooner or later that takes its toll. Here are five key areas that need attention every day.

1. Diet

When we eat well, we fill our bodies with the nutrients they need to fuel our activities and repair damaged cells. It gives us the energy to do what needs doing during the day, improves how we feel and helps us sleep better. A healthy diet includes a balance of protein, carbohydrate, dairy and fat, and at least five portions of fresh fruit or vegetables.

At this time of year, your teen could be tempted to start reaching for comfort foods, such as high-fat or sugary snacks. Help them eat well by making sure the snacks on hand are healthy (fruit, nuts, dark chocolate, vegetables and natural dips), and satisfy their need for comfort food with soups and stews packed with beans, pulses and vegetables. Where possible, they should avoid eating too many processed foods.

Seasonal choices are more widely available, less expensive, better for the environment (no shipping) and packed with the right vitamins for the time of year. Autumn's bounty includes aubergines, broccoli, savoy cabbage, celeriac, kale, leeks, mushrooms, squash, sweetcorn, blackberries, figs and pears.

With their bodies growing so rapidly during the teenage years, make sure your teen is eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, and not skipping meals. If they don’t like to eat breakfast before leaving the house, get them to take something nutritious to eat when they get to school or at first break.

2. Relaxation and sleep

Relaxing helps us have a clearer, calmer mind. It’s important to switch off from the regular churn and buzz of activity. Meditation is a great way to relax, and there are lots of free guides online, but there are other ways to take five. Watching a TV programme, playing a sport, chilling with friends, playing or listening to music, and cooking are just some of the ways your teen can take down-time.

Getting the right amount of sleep each night gives the body time to rest, repair and rebuild, leading to a stronger immune system, reduced stress and improved emotional wellbeing. Sleep is the single most important contributor to health, so make sure your teen is getting enough; they probably need between eight and nine hours a night.

Turning off screens half an hour before bed is proven to help encourage sleep, so a bath, listening to music or a podcast, or reading a book are good activities beforehand. Reducing lighting helps too.

3. Gratitude and positive thinking

People who express and experience gratitude tend to feel more optimistic, sleep better, are less stressed and generally feel happier about their lives. Help your teen get into the habit of noticing things to appreciate, whether it’s a kind word, a sunny day or a quiet moment. Encourage them to let people know when they’re grateful by saying thank you and showing that they recognise and appreciate kind actions.

Positive thinking relieves tension, and optimism encourages positive outcomes. Help your teen reframe their point of view if they’re dwelling on negativity. If they’re struggling with things they don’t enjoy now (for example, some school subjects), it might help to think of the long-term benefits (getting the qualifications to go on to the job they want). Remind them of the mantra: short-term pain for long-term gain.

4. Relationships

Maintaining good, healthy relationships can build a sense of belonging and self-worth and improve mental and emotional wellbeing. Make sure your teen takes time to nurture their friendships and family relationships, including extended family such as grandparents, aunts and uncles who don't live at home. Regular contact not only helps them feel connected, it gives them a broad range of people to talk to when they experience insecurity or disappointment.

5. Being active

Your teen should be getting plenty of exercise at school during the day, so the darker mornings and evenings shouldn’t be the disincentive they can be for adults trying to exercise outside the office. A little activity every day is a way to burn off frustration, keep the blood flowing and improve sleep quality, so encourage a lunchtime walk if they don’t have PE on certain days, or if they don’t walk to and from school.

Don't forget the weekends. Can you do something active together as a family? Dogs are a fantastic reason to go for a walk, but if you haven't got a pooch to promenade, how about heading out together to a nearby park, wood or country area to enjoy the spectacular colours as autumn turns?