Goldilocks Days: Why Boys Don’t Just Need Strength – They Need Balance

We often talk about boys needing strength, discipline, and resilience. But what if what they really need — to flourish mentally — is balance?

A 2024 Canadian study of over 67,000 adolescents identified the ideal mix of daily behaviours that support mental wellbeing. Researchers called them “Goldilocks Days” — not too much, not too little, but just right.

• 10–11 hours of sleep

• 2.5–3 hours of physical activity

• Less than 1 hour of recreational screen time

On days like these, teens reported:

• Higher life satisfaction

• Lower anxiety and depression

• Greater emotional resilience

What It Means for Boys

While cisgender boys had the highest overall mental health scores, the study shows they still benefit enormously from better sleep, more balanced movement, and reduced screen time.

But here’s the kicker:

These boys often appear fine — because they’re performing. In school, in sport, in social spaces.

What this study suggests is that boys may be quietly burning out, performing masculinity instead of living in balance.

We need to ask:

• Are we giving boys space to rest, reflect, and just be?

• Are our routines building strength and softness — or just endurance?

Coaches, teachers, and parents have the power to build “Goldilocks Days” into everyday life — through structure, connection, and example.

Citation: Duncan, M. J., et al. (2024). Goldilocks Days for adolescent mental health: Movement behaviour combinations for well-being, anxiety, and depression by gender. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2024.100560