School starts for most of Middle Tennessee within the next few weeks and it’s completely normal for kids to be experiencing some back-to-school jitters as they get back into a routine at a place they haven’t visited in the past three months. Kids are no different than adults in that their stress can be well-managed with exercise; the difference is that kids may need a little help in learning how to do this! Here’s how exercise can help:
– When kids are stressed, all of their systems need to work together to fight it: the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory and muscular systems, just to name a few. Exercise gives those systems a chance to “practice” in a healthy way so that their bodies are ready to deal with stress when it comes their way.
– You have probably heard that endorphins, or “natural pain killers,” can lift emotions. Long periods of exercise can lead to higher amount of endorphins in the body, which in turn produces a natural positive swing.
– Our bodies were all created with a “fight or flight” instinct. But now, rarely do we, or our kids, actually need to fight or flee at any time. However, our bodies are still chemically wired to do this in stress-inducing situations, so exercise is a way to clear out those chemicals and use up some energy. This is especially helpful in allowing your child to sit still longer and focus more at school.
– Playing and exercising with friends is fun and creates bonds with others over shared experiences. Having those bonds with others helps to relieve stress, especially when it may be stress about meeting new friends.
– Exercising leads to better sleep. Better sleep leads to less stressful days. This is a very positive cycle to set instead of the alternative: stressful days inducing sleepless nights which lead to exhaustion and a lack of desire to exercise.
So what does all of this mean? Get your kids moving! The type of exercise isn’t as important as making sure that they’re exercising! But do try to make sure that your kids get a variety of exercise by using various backyard play equipment like playsets, trampolines, basketball hoops and more!
Happy Backyards™ sells and installs only the safest and highest quality residential playground equipment, basketball goals, and trampolines for your own home. We are a local company and have been doing it for 15 years with a focus on quality products, quality service, and competitive low pricing.