Returning to school can cause a multitude of issues ranging from anxiety, to catching all sorts of bugs from other children, getting back and neck pain from carrying those heavy bags plus poor posture when studying.
Here are some top tips to help!
1. Helping with returning back to school anxiety.
Whether it’s from starting a new school or class or just that your child feels nervous about going back, using alcohol free Bach Rescue Remedy or Bach Night Time Rescue Remedy (this contains white chestnut to stop thoughts going round and round in your head, it won’t make you sleepy so it can be used in the daytime) and/or magnesium supplementation can help your child cope. Magnesium in citrate or glycinate form is best for absorption and the dosages for school ages are as follows: 4-8 years old is 130mg/day, 9-13 years old is 240mg/day and 14-18 years old is 360mg/day. Probiotic supplementation to insure good levels of gut bacteria is also essential in maintaining good mental health (see below).
Another way to help calm your child’s nervous system is using breathing exercises. These are two methods you can try:
Alternate Nostril breathing: Resting your right middle finger on the bridge of your nose, your thumb, index and ring finger on either side of the bridge of your nose. Use your ring finger to close your left nostril and breathe in through your right nostril for the count of four, hold your breath for the count of four, then using your thumb to block your right nostril, breathe out through the left nostril for the count of four. Pause for a moment before taking the next inhalation. Repeat ten times on each nostril.
Equal to longer exhalation breathing: Put one hand on your belly and take a deep breath in for the count of four. You should feel your belly rise on the in-breath. Breathe out for the count of four, your belly should lower under your hand and return to its original position. Repeat cycle five times. Then take a deep breath in for the count of four and breathe out slowly for the count of six. Do this three times, then try and increase the outbreath each time aiming to get to a count of eight. Take it at your own pace and don’t worry if you can’t exhale for up to the count of eight when you start.
2. Immune system help.
Whilst you can’t completely ensure that your child doesn’t catch some horrible bug on their return to school, there are ways to minimise their risk. Getting good quality sleep, some daily exercise, about 30 minutes of daily light exposure and a good varied (low sugar) diet containing multi coloured fresh fruit and vegetables (red, orange, dark green and purple are the most nutrient dense) is vital. Children that find it difficult to eat fresh fruit and vegetables or have minimal amounts of time outside should have a daily multivitamin with adequate amounts for their age of vitamin c, zinc and vitamin D (please note: if you are supplementing, be careful of giving your children gummies as they are packed with sugars, degrade very quickly so lose their vitamin and mineral content and are prone to moulds).
Probiotics containing both lactobacillius and bifidobacterial groups should also be considered as they are also very supportive in immune function. These can be taken in supplement form or in sugar free probiotic yoghurts or yoghurt drinks.
If you need more advice on exercise, diet or supplements then drop us an email at info@banselosteopathy.co.uk or book an appointment.
3. Back and neck pain help
Carrying heavy bags and sitting at your desk wrong can cause both neck and back pain. Take a look at Shani’s videos on better ways to carry your bag and how to sit properly at your desk to study.
Better ways to carry your bag: https://youtu.be/Bep_pCivF-4?si=7Pv9J-ynUyh0Zwww
Home working techniques: https://youtu.be/kfRD0n0nQNw?si=ASsqmLhvlUEDVOuJ