Healthy Routines: Sleep & Nutrition

Your body and brain run on routines. The way you sleep, eat, and drink during a single day decides how clearly you think, how steady your mood is, and how much energy you have. Healthy routines are not about being perfect — they are about giving your body what it needs, day after day.

Sleep Is Where Your Brain Catches Up

Kids ages 10 to 12 need about 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night. While you sleep, your brain sorts what you learned, your body grows and repairs, and your mood resets. Short sleep makes everything harder — focus, memory, patience, even your food choices.

• 9-12 hours of sleep is recommended for ages 10-12.
• Screens before bed (phones, TV, tablets) make it harder to fall asleep — the light tells your brain it is still daytime.
• A 30-minute wind-down before bed (lights low, no screens, calm activity) helps you fall asleep faster.
• Same bedtime and wake time on weeknights = stronger focus the next day.

Nutrition: The Balanced Plate

Food is fuel. The balanced plate model is a simple picture of what most meals should look like: half fruit and vegetables, a quarter protein, a quarter whole grains, and water on the side.

1. Half the plate: fruit and vegetables (color and fiber).
2. A quarter protein: eggs, beans, fish, chicken, yogurt.
3. A quarter whole grains: bread, rice, pasta, oats.
4. Water to drink — not soda — most of the time.
5. Breakfast matters: protein in the morning steadies your focus until lunch.

Hydration and Movement Power Everything

• Even a little dehydration hurts focus and mood — hydrate by sipping water through the day.
• Daily movement (walking, biking, sports, dancing) helps you sleep better that night.
• Sugary snacks give quick energy that can fade fast — balanced meals are steadier.
• A routine beats willpower: the same healthy choice, made automatically, every day.