Busy schedules and daily demands of life can make it difficult to follow healthy habits. You may find that you’re getting home from work late and reaching for convenient microwave meals, or not finding the time to go to the gym. Your health should be a top priority and everyone should take steps to ensure that they are physically and mentally healthy. There are dozens of ways to be healthier, and simple changes to your daily routine can make a big difference to your overall health and wellbeing. Here are some easy ways to lead a healthier lifestyle starting today.
Make Exercise a Daily Routine
Adults should do at a minimum 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or if they can’t do this, then 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity a week.That being said, the WHO also states that adults can get additional health benefits from increasing their level of physical activity to 300 minutes a week, which equates to just over 40 minutes a day. Moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking or playing tennis, whereas vigorous activities could involve running or fast swimming. Regular exercise can result in countless health benefits, such as the prevention of unwanted weight gain and increasing your overall fitness levels. It can also have some wonderful benefits on your mental health by improving your mood, boosting your self-esteem, and alleviating feelings of stress.
Here are some useful tips to help you incorporate exercise into your daily life:
- Walk or cycle to work instead of driving. This will help you get fit and save you money on gas, parking, and car maintenance costs.
- Get involved in a sports team and join a recreational league.
- Find yourself a gym buddy and schedule joint workout sessions each week.
- Get up from your desk every hour to perhaps make a drink or go for a short walk around the office to get your heart rate up.
- Follow Healthy Eating Habits
Follow Healthy Eating Habits
Your eating habits play a huge role in your overall health and wellbeing. Following an unhealthy diet is likely to lead to weight gain and could put you at risk of developing serious health conditions, such as type two diabetes or heart disease.With that in mind, you should place a special focus on your diet and follow healthy eating habits. This should involve eating balanced meals at set times, getting the recommended vitamins and minerals, and avoiding unhealthy snacks. If you are unhappy with the shape or size of your body and want to lose weight, then you should avoid crash diets or unhealthy weight loss methods. Instead, start a healthy eating plan that will enable you to lose weight gradually. You can use Myprotein’s macro calculator to monitor your daily food intake and follow a flexible diet plan. This plan will help you lose weight or maintain your current level.
Make Sleep a Priority
Medical experts recommend that most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to support good health. Despite this, many people get less than 7 hours of sleep or follow irregular sleep patterns. You may not think that staying up late will affect your health, but even losing just one hour of sleep can affect your concentration and thinking abilities according to helpguide.org.Your body heals itself while you are sleeping and the quality of your sleep will have a direct impact on your physical and emotional health. Sleep deprivation can cause significant harm to your long-term health and put you at a higher risk of developing multiple medical conditions. Occasional disruptions to your sleep pattern are expected, but you should try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule as much as possible.
If you’re getting an appropriate amount of sleep but still feeling tired during the day, then you may be experiencing poor sleep quality. This could be down to an uncomfortable bed or a sleeping environment that is too hot or too cold. Try to identify what is causing poor sleep and adapt your sleeping environment to encourage better quality sleep. You can wear a sleep tracker to bed to monitor your sleep and get tips on how it is possible to get a more restful night’s sleep.
Manage Stress Effectively
Stress is a natural part of life and can be the result of work deadlines, family issues, or other life events. Stress affects us all, but too much stress can harm your health and quality of life. The physical effects of stress can include headaches, fatigue, compromised immunity, and insomnia. Stress can also have a damaging effect on your emotional health and lead to depression or suicidal thoughts. You must find healthy outlets to help you relax and cope with daily stress.Some popular stress-relieving activities include exercise, socializing with friends, meditation, and pampering treatments. You should try to identify any triggers in your life that are causing stress and take steps to make the situation less stressful. For instance, if your workload is becoming too much and making it impossible to maintain a good work-life balance, then speak with your manager to see what they can do to support you in the workplace.