Testing week is upon us. What do our children need to succeed? Let us forget, for this blog, the significance of mental health and anxiety reduction, revision and quality first teaching. Let us go back to Maslow and his hierarchy of needs. Have we fulfilled the basics for our kids?
This is where my hydration rant begins…Your body is nearly two-thirds water and so it is really important that you consume enough fluid to stay hydrated and healthy. If you don’t get enough fluid you may feel tired, get headaches and not perform at your best. ‘Fluid’ includes not only water from the tap or in a bottle, but also other drinks that give you water such as tea, coffee, milk, fruit juices and soft drinks. You also get water from the food you eat – on average food provides about 20% of your total fluid intake. A good drink and a good breakfast really does set you up for the day! Drinking adequate amounts of water regularly throughout the day can protect health and contribute to well-being. It can help prevent a range of short and long-term health problems from headaches, bladder, kidney and bowel problems to cancer. Drinking enough water also has none of the health problems associated with drinks containing sugar, additives, sweeteners, acids or caffeine. So, it wont be a magical diet solution, but could help to slash your calorie intake!
So, how does drinking water improve learning? The key to boosting the capacity to learn is to keep well hydrated throughout the day. When we are thirsty, studies show that mental performance deteriorates by 10%! Students concentrate better because they are not distracted by the effects of dehydration such as thirst, tiredness and irritability and therefore keeping water bottles handy can aid behaviour management by helping to settle students in the classroom. Children will achieve more when both their health and learning needs are met. Ensuring free access to water and promoting a regular water intake throughout the school day is a vital role for schools in promoting health and providing a healthy learning environment.
Water makes up over two-thirds of the healthy human body. It lubricates the joints and eyes, aids digestion, flushes out waste and toxins and keeps the skin healthy. So, learning basics aside, your skin contains plenty of water, and functions as a protective barrier to prevent excess fluid loss.
Drink up folks and be well
🙂
skennedy205 