Do you have low energy with less motivation to hop, skip and jump around with your kids?
Perhaps it's time to let out your inner child.
Kids have energy to spare, less pessimistic attitudes and far less worries and responsibilities.
If we could just act a little more like kids and follow their lead when it comes to fitness and health, we would all be a lot better off.
You can learn so much from children about being happy and healthy. Acting like a kid again won't get you sent to the principal's office, but it might just get you in shape.
Here are some suggestions from Dr. John Higgins, sports cardiologist for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston:
- Prioritize playtime
- Cultivate resilience
- Indulge in a little friendly competition
- Form (and maintain) strong relationships with others
- Dream up possibilities
- Eat when you're hungry, not when you're bored
- Take naps
- Put yourself in time out
John P. Higgins MD, MBA (Hons), MPHIL, FACC, FACP, FAHA, FACSM, FASNC, FSGC is a sports cardiologist for The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center and the Harris Health System. His research interests include the effects of energy beverages on the body, and screening for underlying cardiovascular abnormalities in 12-year-olds (6th graders), and steroid effects on the cardiovascular system.