5 Habits to Make a Healthy Lifestyle Yours For the Taking
Updated December 2023
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Engaging in a healthy lifestyle can improve your physical and mental state. Luckily, living well is easier than you think. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to make immediate or profound changes — such as going on a crash diet or exercising every day — to reap the rewards of wellness.
Habits that support a healthy lifestyle include spending time with nature, learning to cook homemade meals, eating a variety of nutritious foods, and improving your sleep hygiene. Developing habits takes time, but the discipline will benefit you in the long run.
With a few simple modifications to your mindset and even your surroundings, you will set yourself up for success. Read on to learn how to improve your life!
Spend Time in Nature
Spending time outdoors is another excellent way to work toward optimum health. Hiking and nature walks can be the perfect antidote to a busy lifestyle, and they cost nothing, making them easily accessible.
Get Cozy in the Kitchen
Learning how to cook for yourself is one of the quickest ways to begin your healthy lifestyle. Not only is eating home cooking associated with having a lower body mass index, but it will also help you save money and — if you include your spouse and kids in the process — is a bonding experience.
Know Your Nutrients
Another important step you can take on your journey to a healthy lifestyle is to understand the different types of nutrition and why you need to eat a variety of healthy foods. You likely already know that you should consume lean proteins, produce, and whole grains each day. But do you know why?
Protein is essentially a building block that makes up your muscles, bones, fingernails, and hair. Someone who works out often will require more protein than someone who does not. Vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
For optimal health, you want to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, including leafy greens, peppers, bananas, and apples. Each of these is a whole food that will fill you up and fuel each cell in your body one bite at a time. Whole grains are a crucial addition to your daily nutrition as they deliver fiber, which may reduce your chances of heart disease. A high-fiber diet will also keep you full and aid in digestion.
Develop Healthy Habits
Healthy habits are not difficult to develop. But you do have to make a conscious effort to prioritize a healthy lifestyle. A few simple changes you can make that will have a big impact on your overall health include eating breakfast, drinking enough water, and engaging in physical activity for at least 30 minutes every day. This could include a weekend hike, a walk after dinner, or a yoga session before you begin your day.
Other healthy habits that will contribute to your wellness goals are socializing, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, getting at least 15 minutes of sunshine every day, and practicing mindfulness and meditation. While none of these require a huge time commitment or exhaustive efforts, when combined, they can help you look and feel your best, which may encourage you to make more healthful changes to your daily routine.
Improve Your Sleep Hygiene
Sleeping well is a healthy habit that deserves special attention. As Healthline explains, not sleeping well is linked to higher body weight and a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. By contrast, getting at least seven to eight hours each night will improve your concentration levels and prevent depression. Sleeping has a positive impact on your immune function and may reduce systemic inflammation, which is linked to a number of health conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease and Alzheimer’s.
Chances are, you feel as though you don’t have time to get the sleep you need. Let go of this notion, make a point to go to bed 15 to 20 minutes early each night, and push your alarm out by the same number of minutes. Giving yourself even an extra 30 minutes of sleep will help you physically and mentally recover from the previous day so that you can be more in control of the next.
Make a point to also employ methods that enhance and promote quality sleep. More time outside has been shown to contribute to a good night’s rest, as does meditation and light stretching. White noise or sound apps have also proven effective in helping people sleep. Choose an app that offers the sounds you prefer and connect your phone to a small speaker (affiliate link) so you don’t have to keep your device by the bed. Any form of blue light near bedtime can make it harder to get proper shuteye.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, a healthy lifestyle requires paying attention to your daily habits, including what you eat, how much you exercise, and how much sleep you get each night. Your wellness endeavors will require major changes, and the healthy actions listed above can put you on a path toward being your best self without feeling overwhelmed with lifestyle changes.
