Do you feel as though you’re stuck in a rut? If so, this may be a sign that you need to consider some healthy habits in daily routine that can help your body to feel energized again and improve your life. When it comes to changing your daily habits, you don’t need to carry out a complete overhaul of your life and, in fact, just following a few new or simple healthy habits can be enough to make a difference.
Adopting a healthy habits that you follow every day is simple yet effective when it comes to creating a pattern of consistency. Your daily routine can not only have a positive impact on your overall health, but can directly impact your sleeping habits and eating patterns. The habits you follow from first thing in the morning to the last thing at night play a role in your overall health and well being. If you’re feeling stuck in a rut, then it can be tempting to want to attempt to change everything all at once. But, focusing on the smaller steps and habits, and then looking to do these on a daily basis is the best way to make your new routine last longer.
10 Healthy Habits to Improve Life
Small changes added here and there can have a great impact on your quality of life in so many different ways. There are plenty of obvious reasons why staying fit and active can help you live a healthier lifestyle, but there are also some further things to consider when making positive changes to your lifestyle. All you need to do is take a proactive and realistic approach when creating new healthy habits. Let’s take a look at some easy, healthy habits that you can follow daily.
1. Wake Up Early
Whilst you don’t need to rise before the sun every morning, waking up at a decent, early time is vital when it comes to optimal health. Your body has a circadian rhythm which has evolved to help regulate your sleeping and waking patterns which are set with the natural environment and, more specifically, the rising and setting of the sun. This circadian rhythm also works in conjunction with your cortisol levels.
Cortisol is a hormone that is well known for the role it plays in your metabolism, stress response, immune system and energy levels. By waking up early, your cortisol levels will peak around 2-3 hours after you wake up and can help you maximize your energy levels, overall health and productivity.
2. Drink Plenty Of Water
Are you drinking enough water? Keeping hydrated is vital for your health and, whilst you’ve likely heard this many times, it’s something that many of us overlook. Our bodies are around 60% water and not drinking enough can lead to more than dehydration, such as headaches, fatigue, dizziness and increased cravings for salty and sugary foods. Whilst it’s important to drink plenty of water throughout the day, be sure to drink a glass or two when you wake up, before you eat or consume caffeinated beverages. Not only is this a refreshing way to start the day, but it helps to aid hydration, whilst also supporting your digestive system and metabolism at the same time.
3. Time For Movement
Our bodies are designed to move, but due to sedentary lifestyles, many of us find that we are moving less and less. From desk jobs and travel time to relaxing and pastimes such as dining out or going to the cinema, many aspects of our lives are done sitting down. It’s becoming increasingly more important to get up and move around, so be sure to carve out time in your day to be active. Whether it’s swapping your train or driving commute for a walk or cycle, heading to the gym straight from work or going for a stroll in the park on your lunch break, there are many different ways in which you can increase your movement levels.
4. Eat Sitting Down
If you’ve found yourself eating more meals on the go or standing up in the kitchen, then it’s time to make sure that, when mealtimes come around, you sit down. Sitting down whilst eating helps to ensure that you’re slowing down the pace at which you eat and chew the food you are eating, which is vital when it comes to having a healthy digestive system. Sitting down also allows you to have an optimal postural position, which reduces bloating and indigestion, and helps your stomach signal when you are full easier.
5. Take Time To Cook
Cooking is often thought of as a chore, however, by taking the time out each day to cook, you can ensure you are eating a healthy, well-balanced meal whilst enjoying the process involved. If you are just reheating food every night or ordering take-out food, then it can be harder to bring a sense of satisfaction to your meals. Taking time out to cook is one of the best forms of self-care that you can practice, as not only does it allow you time out of your day to unwind, but you can also control the quality of your food, too.
6. Eat A Balanced Diet
It might seem cliché, but ensure that you are eating a healthy and balanced diet and get into the habit of eating varied fruit and vegetables each day. Fruit, vegetables and other whole foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, plus fiber and healthy carbohydrates. Eating a healthy and balanced diet can help to maintain a healthy gut and stomach, ease digestion issues and prevent constipation.
Those who eat a range of fruit and vegetables each day are found to have a 20% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. As well as this, adding more vegetables to your diet means that you’re reducing the chance of eating processed foods, added sugars and refined carbohydrates. Rather than looking at what not to eat, instead, think of the healthy foods you can eat and look to eat more of those.
7. Put The Phone Down
We all spend more time than ever on our phones and mobile devices and whilst putting it down every so often seems relatively easy, spending too much time online or on your mobile phone can have negative effects on your health. On average, people spend around 2 hours and 24 minutes per day on their devices and the average person has around 8 social media accounts. This is time which could be spent better elsewhere, such as exercising, cooking or simply spending time with friends and family.
Constant exposure to blue light, which mobile phones and devices emit, can reduce the production of melatonin within your body, which can impact your circadian rhythm and sleeping pattern. Try to avoid going on your phone for around an hour before going to bed and as soon as you wake up to allow yourself time to unwind.
8. Tidy Home, Tidy Mind
Even if you’re not aware of it, the space in which you live has a huge impact on your mood and behavior. Having a messy bedroom, unclean kitchen or untidy living room can all have negative impacts on your mental wellbeing. Spending some time each day tidying up and clearing away mess and clutter can make things such as cooking and socializing much easier, but it also decreases feelings of frustration and improves efficiency. Going to bed with a clean and tidy home means you can wake up to a clear, fresh start without having to worry about tidying away yesterday’s mess, or letting it get on top of you.
9. Set A Good Bedtime Routine
Having the right bedtime routine can have a huge impact on how you sleep and how relaxed you feel at the end of the day. If you go to bed without taking time to reset, then you might find it harder to get to sleep, or stay in a deep slumber. Around an hour before you plan on going to bed, consider taking a warm, not hot, bath or shower with a nice, calming shower or bath gel.
Follow a skincare routine which involves cleansing and moisturizing. Drink a warm, decaffeinated beverage and read a book rather than scrolling through social media. Wear comfortable sleeping clothes and ensure the bedroom is the right temperature for you. Finding the right bedtime routine to allow you to switch off and relax is a process of trial and error, but once you get into the routine, it’s easy to follow daily.
10. Go To Sleep at The Same Time Each Night
Better sleep is the only time during the day in which your body is allowed to truly recover, rest and relax. Many people fall short of the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night, which can have negative effects on their health. A reason for this is that many people are putting off going to bed in favors of other activities, such as watching television, playing video games or scrolling on social media. This is also known as revenge sleep procrastination. A lack of sleep can also create hormone imbalances, which can have huge negative effects on your weight and mood. Try to schedule a time pre 10:00 pm when you go to bed. After all, by going to bed earlier, you’re also likely to wake earlier, too!
