The Benefits of Exercise for Teens
I hate to admit it, but my kids spend entirely too much time on electronics. Between television, computer, video games, cell phones, ipods, and more, it’s no surprise that experts estimate kids are spending 6 hours a day in front of a screen. And who has time to get active when you have friends to text, tweeny pop stars to watch, and ghouls to kill?
But we need to encourage (if not force) our kids to get off their rear ends and start getting some exercise. We’ve already talked about how exercise can help improve grades, but there are many other benefits as well.
In fact WebMD has found 10 perks for teens who exercise:
- Active teens are less likely to have unprotected sex (or sex at all).
- They tend to stay away from cigarettes.
- They are less likely to get drunk regularly and drive drunk
- They are more likely to stay away from illegal drugs.
- They have less school absences.
- They are more apt to wear their seat belt.
- They have high self-esteem.
- They are more likely to get ‘A’ grades in math and science
- They usually get more sleep; 8 hours a night.
- And they are more likely to do housework and have summer jobs outside the home.
How can exercise do all that?
Exercise helps you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Of course, you also need to eat healthy to keep a healthy weight, but exercise really helps burn those calories.
Exercise can eliminate health problems. On The Biggest Loser you see people come in taking tons of medication and after just a couple weeks they’ve stopped taking their high blood pressure pills and some of their diabetes medication. Exercising can even cut a teen’s risk of breast cancer.
Exercise helps you feel less stressed. Endorphines are released that can really help relieve that stress many teens feel at school. It can also stop you from feeling depressed.
Exercise may boost confidence. With less stress and a new sexy body, why wouldn’t you have a little more confidence?
Exercise can help you make new friends. When you get out from behind the computer monitor or television screen, you have time to get out in the world and make new friends. Teens who participate in team sports, dance teams, etc are more apt to make new friends then those sitting at home playing video games.
Exercise decreases a teen’s chance of partaking in risky behavior. Studies have shown that teens who exercise are more likely to stay out of trouble. You don’t want to smoke, do drugs, or drink when your feeling healthy. Plus such risky activities could get them cut from the team.
So get your teen off the couch and in to some activity. He’ll thank you later.
