Physical education, or PE, isn’t required for all high school students. In some schools, it isn’t offered for some different reasons. But should high school students have physical education? The answer is certainly “yes”.

Today many people don’t do sports. But as is known to all, doing sports is essential for an adult. Teaching teens the significance of a healthy lifestyle and making fitness plans now can help teens make exercise their priority as an adult.

High school isn’t that easy. Many students are under a lot of stress. Stress can be harmful to a student’s studies and life. Doing sports can help them deal with stress better, helping them live a happier life at school.

The American Heart Association says that 10 million kids and teens suffer from obesity. Teens should get 60 minutes of physical activity per day to control their weight and to help their bones get stronger. The increase in activities that don’t get teens to move around, such as computer games, means many teens don’t get their required exercise. PE classes act as a public health measureto encourage physical activities and help teens have healthy weights.

Not doing sports increases teens’ hazard of developing many diseases. An active lifestyle offers a good way of protection from these health problems. As much as 75 percent of health-care spending goes toward treating medical conditions that can be prevented by lifestyle changes, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

According to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition(PCFSN), students who performed five hours of physical activities each week improved their academic performance. Students from programs with no physical activity, who used the extra time for classroom study, did not perform better on tests than those who gave up some study time in support of physical education.

How do I do it?

It’s your choice. Pick an activity that’s easy to fit into your life. Do at least 10 minutes of physical activity at a time. Choose aerobic activities that work for you. These make your heart beat faster and can make your heart, lungs, and blood vessels fitter. Also, do strengthening activities which make your muscles do more work than usual.

Why should I be physically active?

Physical activity can make you feel stronger and more alive. It is a fun way to be with your family or friends. It also helps you improve your health.

How many times a week should I l>e physically active?

It is up to you, but it is better to spread your activity throughout the week and to be active at least 3 days a week.

How do I build up more physical activity?

Do a little more each time. Once you feel comfortable, do it more often. Then you can trade activities at a moderate level for vigorous ones that take more effort. You can do moderate and vigorous activities in the same week.

2012 was one of the hardest years I have ever known. For several months, I found it hard to write, think, eat or take pleasure in anything; I could not imagine what it would be like to feel happy again; I could not find any hope or purpose.

I cannot remember the reason why one Monday morning I decided to go to a hot yoga studio in east London, where I signed up for a 30-day trial. I do not remember the class or how much I sweated. What I do know is that I started going to hot yoga every day. Sometimes, when my head felt as if it might collapse（崩溃）, I went twice a day. I skipped parties, left social events and got up early to attend. There was something about the hot room that held me together and that stopped all the dark thoughts inside my mind.

I chose the Bikram method of hot yoga: It has a set of 26 postures and two breathing exercises performed in heat over a period of 90 minutes. This form of yoga was founded by Bikram Choudhury. In 2015, he failed in an attempt to copyright（取得版权）his method. Many practitioners（从业人员）believe that Bikram is not real yoga. Some question the limitations of just 26 postures. Others wonder why the class has to be performed before a wall of mirrors. However, something in those 26 postures freed my mind, dragged me out of my thoughts and back into the present. I was able to focus on how my body behaved differently each day.