Photo by Heike Mintel on Unsplash
Being a father means not only being there for your children the day they are born, but also supporting them throughout their lives. Although there’s no guarantee to know what tomorrow may bring, there are certain ways that fathers can prepare themselves for a long, healthy life. To better support your kids tomorrow, keep reading to discover a few things you can do today to take control of your health.
Tackle stress
The last year hasn’t been easy for families. In fact, 48% of parents reported increased stress levels since the start of the pandemic according to the American Psychological Association. While handling stress is certainly a part of life, making sure to actively manage and work to reduce stress levels is important for every father.
Stress can lead to other health concerns, like loss of sleep, a weakened immune system, chest and head pains, decreased energy, and indigestion. Longer term effects of chronic stress can lead to mental health concerns, like depression or anxiety. Find healthy outlets to manage stress, like staying physically active, eating healthily, and making good lifestyle choices. Additionally, researching and finding tips, articles, and news specific to dads can help alleviate stress specific to fathers.
Schedule an eye doctor appointment
Being a father usually means having a million things going on at once on any given day, but something that isn’t worth putting on hold is your eye health. While it may be top of mind to schedule appointments like a physical or trip to the dentist, one appointment that often gets overlooked is a comprehensive exam with an eye doctor. This can be especially true if you haven’t noticed any changes in your vision or traditionally don’t rely on vision aid.
But seeing your optometrist yearly can actually help you in the long term as there are common health problems eye exams can detect, including conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or certain types of cancer. Additionally, making your eye doctor visit a priority will ensure that you are up to date on your current prescription and allows you to discuss the best eye care choice for your lifestyle. For busy fathers, you can consider shopping for prescription eyeglasses online to minimize time spent looking for new frames and they can be delivered right to your door. Remember, changes in vision are common with age so staying up to date with your prescription can greatly improve your daily quality of life.
Prioritize a good diet
It probably seems like a no-brainer, but a nutritious diet can play a big factor in how gracefully you age. There are several factors of a balanced diet, so taking a bigger picture look at your eating habits and lifestyle choices is important. Not every diet plan or restriction will work for each person, so personalizing and finding what works for you and your family is critical for long term success.
As a father, you may find prioritizing your diet needs particularly challenging, especially when you have younger children with pickier tastebuds or diet restrictions. Getting the whole family involved in meal planning, making family dinners, and trying new and delicious recipes can be a fun way to get the entire family involved and keep yourself on track. This type of mindful food consumption also establishes an example of what a healthy relationship with food looks like for your children!
Find ways to stay active
For some dads, the older they get and the larger their family grows the harder they might find it to stay physically active. While it’s important to have a healthy balance and rest when necessary, incorporating good workouts and activities into your routine is a big factor in increasing your chances of living longer.
Why’s this? Exercise and staying fit has a plethora of health benefits. To name a few, this includes improving joint and muscle health, lowering chances of heart disease, and lowering blood pressure. The physical benefits are great, and this can even be a great way to work on your mental health as well. Finding time to go to the gym isn’t always readily available in a father’s schedule, so consider taking a look at workouts men can do from home.
Finding ways to proactively work towards better health isn’t always easy, but when you think about how it benefits your children in the long run it makes it easier. Try out some of these suggestions to better care for yourself—and in return your whole family.