Very often, even the smallest of steps forward can mean a lot in our journey to health. Simple, easy habits have the power to transform us into the person we truly want to be, and all we need to do is allow ourselves to embrace the idea that wellbeing and happiness are within our reach. For those who want to make positive changes and feel better every day of their life, here are some habits that you should adopt.
Hydrate more often
Let’s start with something extremely simple: drink more water. Our diets and our tendency to rely on tea and coffee to get us through the day often leads to slight dehydration, and even though the symptoms of it aren’t immediately obvious, the long-term consequences can be. From more wrinkles to joint problems, our body simply doesn’t function well if it isn’t well-hydrated. To make sure you remember to drink more, you can use apps like WaterMinder that will help you determine your required intake based on your age, gender, and physical activity level, then give you reminders each time you need to pour yourself another glass. If you prefer to use a free app for this, go for Waterlogged.
Find stress-coping strategies
Meditation and mindfulness are generally the best way to cope with stress, but you can also turn to creative activities such as writing, painting, or making crafts. Why not try a few DIY projects? Who knows, maybe you discover a whole new passion. Another thing you can try is incorporating adaptogens into your diet. Adaptogens are herbs that help our bodies adapt to change and stress, and something as simple as drinking tea made from these potent herbs could really give you that much-needed boost of resilience.
Spend more time away from electronics
Being glued to our computer and phone screens is bad for both our mental and physical health. We need to be in contact with nature if we want to heal, and constantly sitting in front of a big screen and ruining our posture gets in the way of that. Electronics are also bad for our eyes, and people generally don’t pay enough attention to protecting their sight until it’s gone. If you already wear glasses, it’s not a bad idea to actually go to an optometrist and check your glasses frames or find a new pair that sits on your face comfortably. You can always go to eye care professionals at 1001 Optical or a similar place for this purpose, so don’t let your sight degrade further if you can help it. Remember, phones and computers are very useful and it’s completely fine to rely on them for practical purposes, but you do occasionally need to step back from the screen and take a rest.
Clean up your diet
High-sugar and junk food diets are disastrous for our health, especially if we’re already experiencing issues such as diabetes or weight gain. While it’s not always easy to eat clean, high-quality cooked meals, you can always take small steps like cutting out all carbonated drinks and candy from your meals, never eating out at fast-food joints, and preparing healthy food in advance so you wouldn’t have to cook every day. An important aspect of a good diet are also the right herbs. Certain herbs like fenugreek, turmeric, and graviola are amazing for your wellbeing, and making them a part of your daily meals is a great way to nurture your body.
Find an effective way to exercise
One of the most frequent New Year’s resolutions is related to exercising more, but every year most of these plans tend to fall through. Why? Because people set the bar too high. It’s very difficult to go from a couch potato to a person who goes to the gym five times a week, and any motivation you might have had at the beginning of the year tends to dwindle down pretty fast. If you actually want to stick to a regimen, you have to make it sustainable and adjust it to your schedule and your particular needs. For example, if you hate going to the gym, it’s unlikely you’ll find the energy to keep going there consistently. So, instead of that, why not do something you enjoy more? For example, taking long walks while you listen to an audiobook or maybe doing 20-minute home workouts while you watch your favorite show. Don’t expect to become a perfect athlete overnight, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Simply do what’s easy and what you know you can stick to.
Set a bedtime alarm
Alarms are useful when it comes to waking up, but they can also be pretty great at putting you to sleep. Before you protest, let us explain. Most of us are chronically exhausted and need more sleep, but since we can’t wake up late, we need to commit to going to bed early. The things that often gets in the way of that are distractions–we are focused on reading, watching a show, or browsing the internet and keep telling ourselves “just five more minutes.” Five minutes turn into a few hours and you end up going to bed at 1 AM. So, to prevent that, set an alarm that will ring about 45 minutes before you want to hit the sack. Once it rings, start your winding-down process. Wash your face, change into your pajamas, start relaxing, and maybe even squeeze in a quick meditation. This way you’re bound to go to bed early.
Good habits are the thing that makes the biggest difference in our lives. Adopt a few easy and simple ones and enjoy the transformative effects they have on your health.
