Staying healthy

Staying healthy is an important part of growing up. And it can affect you physically and emotionally. When your body changes during puberty and you have to deal with things like school and exams, staying healthy can really help you.

If you’re eating the right food and keeping fit, your body will be strong and help you to cope with stress and also fight illness. Eating well and exercising often when you’re a teenager will also help you stay in good health later in life.

Getting regular sleep is another really important way to stay healthy. Having late nights can leave you feeling tired the next day. It can be difficult, but try to have at least 8 hours sleep each night.

Health for Teens

The website features bite-sized information on a comprehensive range of physical and emotional health topics for teenagers, including healthy eating, body image, managing stress, advice on relationships, puberty, sexuality and much more.

Movie clips, audio snippets and quizzes make the site engaging and interactive, and young people are able to share content easily with their peers via social media.

Getting active

Getting active and keeping moving will help you to look after your body. There are a range of free tips, tools, support, and activities online to help you get healthier and feel better.

Guides to getting active if you have a disability or long-term health condition

• Parasport’s Inclusive Home Workout Zone
• Activity Alliance’s get active advice
• We are Undefeatable’s Five in Five customisable mini-workout

Annual health checks for people who have a learning disability

Annual health checks are for adults and young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability. An annual health check helps you stay well by talking about your health and finding any problems early, so you get the right care.

Things that harm your health

Smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs can harm your health and cancel out the effects of a good diet and exercise.

Doing these things can:

• lower your immune system, which
• protects you from getting ill
• cause mental health problems
• cause depression

Childline provide a range of advice to help if you need it.

Other people to talk to