by Vickie Austin
Being a parent these days is challenging. Although technology has its benefits, it also can be the bane of our existence. If you’ve ever tried to pry an iPad out of a child’s hands, you know what we mean.
And keeping families healthy has gotten more complex. Less stigma around mental illness and the burgeoning knowledge about good mental health has given families more tools to stay on top of challenges. Increased understanding about how our bodies work, and how important nutrition is to our kids’ growing up healthy and strong, is another aspect of keeping everyone well.
The seven pillars of wellness
According to Scrubbingin.com, an online publication of Baylor Scott & White Health, there are seven pillars of wellness in the modern family. These include:
- Sleep optimization
- The “mood-food” connection (gut-brain wellness)
- Normalizing emotional wellness
- Personalizing nutrition based on needs
- Moving together
- Creating a space to support wellness
- Using technology as an ally
Each of these “pillars” supports each other, like combining aspects of meal planning with individual needs.
Author Christopher Hovland, M.D., a pediatrician on staff at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Specialty Clinic – Temple, writes “the most successful families don’t tackle these pillars in isolation — they weave them together into daily life.” For instance, a family might incorporate gut-healthy foods into their meal and after dinner get together for some screen time as a way to connect.
One of his other recommendations is having “emotional weather reports,” comparing moods to the weather to understand what everyone is feeling at the end of the day.
Choose an activity you can share as a family: nature walks, swimming and impromptu dance parties can bring a family together. Be a model to your kids and include the senior set, even if it means chair yoga. Hovland says to start small and build on each of these pillars gradually.
To sleep, perchance to dream
The Stanford Lifestyle Medicine team couldn’t agree more with these pillars, but they have a bit of a different spin. Included in theirs is stress management, cognitive enhancement, social engagement and gratitude and purpose. On this they both agree: restorative sleep is critical to a family unit operating smoothly.
Suggestions include creating personalized sleep environments. The temperature of the room may need to be cooler for some family members, and others may need the sound of white noise to lull them to sleep.
Healthcare experts recommend a “wind-down ritual” that starts about 30 minutes before getting into bed. A regular bathtime, reading a book or quietly re-visiting the day can bring a peace that makes bedtime easier.
Limit screen time an hour prior to sleep since devices can suppress the natural production of melatonin, which aids sleep.