Starting the new academic term well - the four pillars for good health

Dec 27, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Jul 22

A new academic term is a great time to focus on positive changes for better health, and it always pays to take care of the basics first. The four pillars for good health are getting enough sleep, being active, supporting positive mental wellbeing, and eating well.

1. Get enough, good-quality sleep

Keys to this include:

setting a bedtime routine so the mind gets into the habit of knowing when sleep is approaching
relaxing (preferably device-free) for half an hour before bed
switching phones off or to silent so sleep isn't interrupted by pinging alerts and messages. Encourage them to use the 'Do not disturb' feature if their phone has one, which automatically silences alerts at the same time each night
working out their optimum sleeping time (for most teens it’s between 8 and 10 hours) and going to bed 15 to 30 minutes before. It’s easiest to work backwards: if your teen needs 9 hours to function well and has to be up at 7.00am, they need to be asleep by 10.00pm
getting up at a similar time each morning and, hard though it may be, limiting weekend lie-ins to just an extra hour or so. Long lie-ins disrupt their sleeping rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep

2. Be active, every day

People are designed to be active, but increasingly we live sedentary lives, sitting at desks, on devices and in front of the TV. Make sure your teen takes part in at least 30 minutes of activity every day, such as sport, dancing or swimming. If they can do more, all the better.
Being active keeps the body supple, helps circulation and releases frustration.
Encourage them to take regular walks to boost circulation, stretch their muscles and be outdoors. It’s very important they spend some time active outside every week, preferably every day.
Exercise releases feel-good hormones that help combat negative thoughts and feelings, improving mental wellbeing as well as physical health.

3. Support positive mental wellbeing

Regularly form habits that are known to help good mental health, such as:

being grateful and appreciative every day (a gratitude journal can help, such as “Things that don’t totally suck”, designed for teens)
taking regular exercise, especially activities that involve being out in nature (including parks and commons)
learning to manage stress through reframing, meditation, mindfulness and breathing
knowing when to ask for additional support

4. Eat well

Treats are fine from time to time, but your teen needs a balanced, healthy diet to be physically well and mentally alert. This includes:

at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day
not too much sugar, processed or refined food, caffeine or fat (a small amount of some fats can be healthy, such as olive oil, but not saturated fat)
plenty of water to stay hydrated. The best way to make sure your child drinks enough is to have water on hand at all times, at their desk, in a bottle in their bag when out, and served alongside food