Healthy habits are the things you do that promote health and wellness in your life. These include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and managing your stress.
It takes time to build these habits. But they can help you live longer and feel better.
1. Eat Healthy Foods
Eating the right kinds of foods can help you maintain a healthy weight, keep your bones strong, and boost your energy level. It can also lower your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Eat a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish, eggs and dairy products. Limit your intake of salt, sugar and saturated fats. Replace these with nutrient-rich alternatives.
Try to avoid processed foods (like canned and boxed food) as much as possible. These can be high in sodium and sugar and often contain other additives.
Make a commitment to stock your fridge and cupboards with healthier options, so you have less need to go to the supermarket for junk food or ice cream. Instead, buy more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy to eat throughout the week.
Cook more meals at home and pack your lunch and snacks for work. This can be a great way to stay on track with your eating habits and ensure you’re making nutritious choices when out and about.
For children, offer more water and low-fat milk than fruit juices. They are both calorie-rich and high in sugar, so it’s best to encourage them to drink water more frequently.
It’s not always easy to get kids to eat healthy foods, but a few small changes can help. For example, you can try to use fruit and vegetable snacks as a reward for finishing dinner. This can be a good way to get your child to enjoy new foods, says Galvin.
You can even use a meal plan to stick to your nutrition goals. Find one that fits your lifestyle and taste, and is designed by a dietitian to give you peace of mind that you’re making the right choices.
2. Exercise Regularly
Exercise is a healthy habit that will not only make you feel better but also reduce your risk of various health problems. It has been shown that people who do regular exercises are less prone to heart diseases, strokes, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, depression, and sarcopenia (muscle loss).
If you have a busy schedule at work or at home, finding time for exercise may seem difficult. But there are a few ways to fit it into your daily life and make it a part of your lifestyle.
Increasing your heart rate several times a week can give you more energy and get your body moving. Adding physical activity to your day can help boost your mood, improve your sleep and even increase your sexual satisfaction!
Another benefit of exercising regularly is that it can reduce your risk of depression, anxiety and stress. It helps stimulate certain parts of your brain and changes the way your body responds to stress hormones like serotonin and norepinephrine, which can relieve feelings of anxiety.
In addition, exercise can enhance your mental health by improving the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is essential for learning and memory. It can also improve the blood flow to your brain and reduce inflammation.
It can also reduce the risk of injury and chronic pain by strengthening muscles, decreasing the occurrence of injuries and improving posture. Moreover, it can also improve your mood by releasing the hormones endorphins, which have the ability to relax and lift your spirits.
It can also be a fun and social activity that can bring you together with friends or family, which can help motivate you to keep up the workouts. Just make sure to choose a time that will work best for your busy schedule.
3. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is one of the most important healthy habits to have. Not only does it help keep you alert and healthy, but it also helps you manage stress.
Generally speaking, adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. However, this varies between different age groups and can be affected by things like work schedules or medical conditions.
The human body has an internal clock that regulates the sleep cycle. This clock, called the circadian rhythm, regulates when you feel tired and refreshed.
When you’re not getting enough sleep, this clock doesn’t work correctly. This can make you feel groggy and irritable throughout the day.
In addition, not getting enough sleep can cause you to have a poor memory and concentration. This can lead to mistakes when doing schoolwork, playing sports, or concentrating at work.
Ultimately, not getting enough sleep can increase your risk of developing chronic (long-term) health problems. These can include heart disease, stroke, obesity, and even dementia.
4. Manage Your Stress
Stress is a natural part of life, from minor issues like traffic jams to major events such as the death of a loved one. However, stress can take a toll on your mental and physical health if it becomes too overwhelming.
Learning to manage your stress can be a healthy habit for you to develop. You can do this by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep.
You can also improve your stress levels by changing the way you respond to stressful situations. For example, you can try a meditation practice or talking to a friend instead of getting worked up about the situation.
Another healthy strategy is to eat a well-balanced diet, including foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or nonfat dairy, and lean proteins. This will help keep your blood sugar levels even and decrease stress hormones like cortisol.
Finally, you can also reduce your stress by avoiding people and situations that make you feel anxious. For instance, avoid taking on too much work or trying to fix other people’s problems.
Keeping yourself busy with activities that you enjoy can be a good stress reliever. You can find pleasure in things such as spending time with family or friends, playing sports, doing chores around the house, going for a walk or reading a book.
You can also try listening to music such as classical or ocean sounds. These sounds have relaxing effects on the body and mind. You can also try meditating or stretching your muscles. You can also try to limit the amount of TV you watch and social media use, which can add to your stress levels.
5. Stay Positive
One of the most important things you can do for your health is to stay positive. Optimism has many benefits, including increasing your overall happiness, decreasing stress and anxiety, and improving your ability to solve problems and think strategically.
However, it can be difficult to maintain a positive attitude when you’re facing a lot of challenges and setbacks. Fortunately, there are some habits you can develop to help you keep your outlook on life positive throughout the day.
The first and most important step is to become aware of your negative self-talk. Negative thoughts can have a strong impact on your mood and behavior, so it’s important to recognize and break the cycle of negative self-talk as soon as it starts.
Another powerful way to keep your outlook on life positive is to be grateful. Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to make sure that you’re grateful for all of the good things in your life. Once a day, jot down at least three aspects of your life for which you are thankful.
As a bonus, being grateful can also improve your relationships with others. By practicing gratitude, you’re demonstrating to others that you appreciate the people and things in your life, which can encourage them to be more positive themselves.
If you’re struggling to find ways to stay positive, try taking a break from work to unwind and do something fun for yourself. You can do this by doing a face mask, watching a movie, baking, reading, calling a friend, getting takeout, or even just staying in and allowing yourself to rest.
Learning to stay positive can be a gradual process, but it will pay off in the end. Just remember that no matter how hard you work to change your mindset, there will always be tough times.