1 . Children need exercise. Parents often worry that making time for sports or even for just playing games is going to take away from their kids’ study. But actually, this is not true. There have been huge numbers of studies that all show that kids who are physically fit are better in school, get better grades, and have higher intelligence scores than kids who are unfit. And that is probably because during the life, even into old age, there’s a strong connection between a healthy hear and a healthy brain.

The brain is the most important organ that your circulatory (循环的) system has to feed. It takes up a lot of the body’s oxygen and a lot of the body’s energy. And unlike most of your tissues, your brain can’t live very long without blood supply. You cut blood supply off for about five minutes and parts of the brain start dying. So some illnesses that cut off blood flow to the brain in older people are a key cause of   cognitive (认知的) difficulty with age. And even in little kids, being physically fit clearly improves intellectual performance.

The other thing parents should be thinking about is that in childhood your kid needs about 90 minutes a day of active moving around, and parents should really focus, I think, on making sure that that’s fun, first of all. You don’t want to use exercise as punishment. And you also, I think, want to have them doing something that could maybe continue into adulthood. However much your kids like climbing trees, they’re not going to be doing that when they’re 40, not most of us anyway.            

And if you give them a sport or a taste for hiking or a taste for yoga, something that grown-ups do, you greatly reduce the chance that they’re going to be one of the large numbers of adults who are not active. Usually that change happens around the age of 13 or so.

2 . In recent years, more and more people have started to take up sports and fitness. Whether you’re trying to get fit, build muscle (肌肉), or you’re just tired of the sofa, here are some changes you can expect along the way.

You may find that working out gives you more energy at first. But prepare yourself for the day after, when you’ll have aches in your muscles for about 72 hours. However, the good news is you’re less likely to have them again as long as you continue to regularly exercise those same muscles.

Over the next few weeks, you’ll start to feel fitter, and your endurance (耐力)will increase. So running three miles will no longer feel as difficult as it did during the first week. If you focus on strength training for half a year, you’ll notice your muscles begin to take shape. After one year of regular exercise, your bones will be stronger and be less likely to become weak and break easily.

Research has shown that if you’re exercising regularly you’re going to live longer than you would if you didn’t exercise. Exercise makes people feel more happy and satisfied, because it lowers the risk of being anxious and depressed by reducing levels of stress. Of course, all of these benefits depend on the type and strength of your workout and how long you exercise for each week.

On top of that, make sure you spend at least two days each week to strengthen your muscles. This will help your overall speed and endurance. As you begin, it’s important to pace yourself and not to push too hard or too fast, or you’ll be at risk of serious injury.

5 . Recess for Kids

Ask a group of kids about their favorite part of the school day and many will talk about something that happened at recess. Maybe they finally made it across the monkey bars (单杠). Maybe somebody kicked the ball over the fence. Maybe a fruit tree in a neighboring yard started to drop apples on the playground.     1    

It’s true not just according to kids, but also to adults who study recess for kids. Whether they’re inventing a new game or sitting under a tree, kids need a break — or several of them — during the school day.

Why Kids Need Recess.

There's no debate that recess, or mainly referred to as physical activity, is good for kids.

You can’t have your brains go hours at a time and retain and store information in working memory.     2     Besides, activity that involves arms and legs — running, climbing, crawling — builds new neural connections, which helps kids regulate their emotions. Studies show that after recess children are more attentive in class, perform better and have fewer emotional problems.

How Much Recess Should Kids Get.

“Ideally, children should get four 15-minute recesses every day”, says Debbie Rhea, a professor from Texas Christian University, who advocates for outdoor play in schools.     3     It is noted that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently expanded the idea to encourage recess for all students, including those in middle and high school.

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In addition to simply providing enough time for recess, schools should teach skills that will make recess more successful. For instance, letting kids run fast will help them develop coordination.     5    . And even falling, is something kids need to practice to avoid getting badly hurt. To allow children to take reasonable risks with their bodies is also a wise move.

7 . Ronnie Schultz, a 66-year-old who lives in Manhattan, finds creative ways to work on her balance daily. She believes that balance is the key to living a longer, more fulfilling life, a theory that is now backed by science.    1    .

Establish a Balance-Focused Exercise Routine.

Every week, Schultz works virtually with a yoga teacher to learn new balancing techniques and receive guidance.

Over time, she’s built confidence in her mobility and balance, which affords her the opportunity to function on a high level and to continue to do the things she loves.    2    .

Incorporate Balance in Daily Life.

    3    . She finds herself balancing on one leg while waiting to cross the street and while brushing her teeth.

“I brush my teeth on one leg,” Shultz says. “I have a two-minute timer on my electric toothbrush, and I hardly ever touch the sink. I don’t want to lose that opportunity to do a balancing pose.”

Have a Beginner’s Mindset.

Schultz started exercising at age 41, after she experienced major health problems with an arrhythmic heart, and high blood pressure.

“I didn’t do it overnight, and I didn’t love it at the beginning.” Schultz says.    4    .

Beyond motivation, Schultz is consistent and chooses to practice balancing exercises she is not particularly strong at. And she makes it a point to work on her balance, especially on the days she doesn’t feel like it.

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Schultz plans to continue in multiple ways. Her perspective is that maintaining good balance will help her live a longer, more fulfilling life, and that makes balancing worth it.

“What makes me do it is my life. And I’m hoping if I stay healthy, it will keep me here longer because I value my life and my time here.”

9 . Linda Munson, 56, has worked a desk job from home since the initial COVID shutdown. At the height of the pandemic, when going to the gym wasn’t an option, millions of people began exploring ________ workouts from home. Munson’s never been much of a ________ person. “I am very socially awkward. I probably would sign up for a ________ and then not go,” she says.

In 2021, she was ________ with diabetes (糖尿病) and her doctor told her she needed to ________ more on her health. She started walking and ________ out junk food. One day, her son brought home a VR headset called an Oculus Quest.

While messing around with it, Munson ________ the popular fitness app Supernatural, and she was hooked. Supernatural lets you box, swing your arms at ________, meditate (冥想) or stretch with a ________ in front of you and in your ear while you’re moving to popular music.

Currently, Supernatural membership ________ hundreds of workouts and costs $179 per year, after a two-week free ________. The Oculus Quest headset needed to ________ it is $299. It’s worth it, Munson says. “When you finish one workout, you’re tired, but you think, “I can do one more.” Moving to the beat is ________, she says, and “so much fun.” Also, “there’s nobody ________ you. I’m home and I can be weird,” she says.

Munson has lost nearly 50 pounds in a year, has not had to take diabetes ________, and can now play with her seven active grandchildren.