Keep it simple when it comes to your health. Too often people over complicate things or take on too much. Changing a few things at a time is not overwhelming and helps establish healthy habits. Making changes that are not difficult are also easier to maintain.
Here are 5 simple health habits that contribute to one’s health.
- Develop a positive attitude. This can be more challenging at first but easy with a few key tricks. List 3 to 5 things you are grateful for each day. It can be the same things or different. It can be simple things such as running water, a bed to sleep in, and a roof over one’s head. Another way to develop a positive attitude is look at the positive aspects of a bad situation. For instance, one may get a flat tire but had someone stop to help or did not end up in an accident. Some things are harder to find the positive in than others. The point is not allowing oneself to get overly upset in some situations that are just inconveniences. After having a year of having multiple bad things going wrong but being in the habit of focusing on the positive, it was easier to reflect upon the good of that year.
- Just breathe. It sounds simple enough, and it is. Deep breathing helps calm the nervous system, alleviates anxiety, reduces stress, and even decreases pain. Practice deep breathing for about 5 minutes a day. Keep the breathing simple. Don’t time it. Usually, it helps to practice deep breathing as one is lying in bed to go to sleep. Take a deep breath in, hold for a moment, exhale, hold for a moment, and repeat. Easy to do and very helpful. So, in times of stress or pain, one can get in the habit of pausing then deep breathing.
- Drink plenty of water. It is good for your health. The body is roughly made of 60% water. It is in each cell of the body. Water helps the body to function and flush the body of toxins.
- Move your body. Exercise is important. Not everyone has to be a runner or lift heavy weights. Even if it is walking 10 minutes a day to start, it is better than being sedentary. Not all movement has to be some formal exercise routine. Things like using a push mower, vacuuming, and mopping require physical activity, which can be more or less depending on the area a person is working on at the time. On the day one is on their feet running errands or doing chores, it counts as movement. It helps to find something one enjoys doing. Walking, swimming, hiking, yoga, and pickle ball are just a few forms of exercise to get the body moving. When you exercise frequently enough, your body feels better from being active. The desire to move increases.
- Get a good night’s sleep. For some people, this is easier said than done. A huge factor in sleeping is having a sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time each night. It can be as simple as getting ready for bed at 9:45pm in order to be in bed by 10pm. Over time, it can then become easier to fall asleep. Also, put away the electronics. People tend to have an easier time falling asleep when they are not on their phones or tablets and do not have the TV playing. Creating a quiet and dark sleep environment soothes the mind and body into a peaceful slumber. It is important to be consistent with a schedule and maintaining a peaceful sleep environment.
If you think any of these are difficult, then you need to ask yourself why. Maybe there are other factors at play. Sometimes you did not try enough times to establish a habit, which can take about 28 days. There are times that the body needs to be nourished, such as acupuncture treatments and herbal formulas to help with sleep.
