When the pace of modern life gets too much, you may feel like you have to start prioritizing. As part of this, it’s so easy for the first thing sacrificed to be related to self-care. However, by gradually compromising on the things which contribute to a healthy lifestyle, your quality of life may begin to suffer. If this sounds familiar, making healthier lifestyle choices can bring you some equilibrium.
Sleep enough
Sleep is the ultimate healer. Your body will rest and your mind will go through a multitude of cognitive functions to take stock of the day before and reset for the day ahead.
To get ready for all of life’s challenges you’ll need to aim for around eight hours of sleep. To get this, make sure your sleeping environment is conducive to good rest. Any disturbances will break your REM sleep cycles and mean you won’t wake feeling well rested.
Cook fresh food
The British public loves to eat out or get grub delivered: many people tuck into some form of takeaway food weekly. However, with rising prices and greater knowledge of how a poor diet negatively impacts on healthy lifestyle, this may not be good for your body or your wallet.
Learning to cook fresh food from scratch is not only a skill but it will help you greatly in the long run. If you’re already adept in the kitchen, try new methods like induction cooking to become more efficient in your culinary adventures. You’ll need to invest in new induction pan sets to get started, but you’ll soon see the benefits of mixing up your cooking style.
By preparing your meals, you gain control over what you’re putting in your body. You may even find that you lose weight naturally by adapting your eating habits.
Control over hygiene and food safety is also a significant advantage, especially for anyone prone to reactions due to intolerances or allergies from poor preparation.
Routine
The human body thrives on routine, as it helps with hormonal balance and energy regulation. By committing to a certain routine, your body will do the hard work for you. Likewise, your mental health will be better supported by the comfort of consistency.
Start by creating lists of what you need to get done or remember. This is also known as a ‘brain dump’ and will leave you will more headspace. You can use these lists to work out how to space out tasks in your day and to remind yourself to do important things like drink water.
Depending on your job or your living situation, it may be tough to completely commit to a rigid routine every day. However, you don’t need to be militant to see the benefits. Plans change… and that’s okay!
Exercise
We know you’ve probably heard this a million times, but it’s true: exercise is so important to creating a healthy lifestyle. It’s not just about staying in shape, either. Regular physical activity lowers your risk of some conditions and is proven to have a great impact on positive self-esteem, higher energy levels, and a boosted mood.
To get started, go on a fast-paced walk for half an hour a few days a week and build up your activity levels from there.