Most of us wish we could be healthier. Of course, nobody can be perfectly healthy, but we can certainly try to look after ourselves to the best of our ability. That should be our goal at the end of the day, right? If there’s something that you want to change about your lifestyle then why not change it? You don’t have to wait for January to come around so that you can make a New Year’s Resolution. I usually make some start of school year goals. Maybe make some start of summer goals! Make a resolution today to start making some changes that’ll improve your health in the long run. Here are 3 simple health improvements you could make this week that would massively improve your wellbeing in the future.
Keep your body moving every day.
Many people don’t exercise regularly because they find it boring or have 7th grade PE class flashbacks, but you need to find a physical activity that you actually enjoy! If you’re wanting to start slow or if you like nature then you could start taking a walk in your local park or just your neighborhood every day. It’s not a particularly demanding form of exercise, but it could make a big difference to your health if you make it a regular part of your life. Aim to do 10,000 steps a day. If you went on a nice relaxing walk in the morning, during your lunch break or once you got home from work (with your family or even your dog) then you could achieve this. Spenser loves our walks! Exercising frequently can also improve your mental health as it releases endorphins in the brain.
Check in with yourself mentally.
Many people have mastered the art of staying physically healthy, but they still ignore their mental health. It’s something that’s easy to bury. You can’t ignore physical pain, but mental pain can sometimes be brushed aside for too long. If you’re stressed then you might preoccupy yourself with things to do at work or at home, for example. But you need to confront your mental problems in order to work through them. You might even want to see a psychiatrist or other mental health professional if you’re struggling to overcome depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem. If you check in with yourself and find that you’re not doing so well then you need to talk to someone. You shouldn’t face the burden of mental health issues alone. Remember, Depression Lies!
Make sleep a priority.
Maybe you eat healthy and exercise frequently, but there’s more to staying healthy than a good diet and fitness routine. Sleeping well is absolutely essential to your physical and mental health. In fact, sleeping poorly every night can undo all the hard work you’ve put in to stay healthy throughout the day. When you rest, your body heals and recovers after a long day. It repairs muscle tissue, for example; if you want to see results from your workout then you should be sleeping properly. It also keeps your metabolism working properly, and that’s important when it comes to burning off calories from your food.
If you need to get up early then you should try going to bed a little earlier. Most of us have to get up early for work but that doesn’t necessarily mean we go to bed early. While I love coffee and it might keep you awake, it doesn’t fix the health problems that stem from sleep deprivation. You need to make sure that you’re getting a sufficient amount of rest every night. A consistent bedtime is essential to your physical and mental health. Your brain needs sleep to stay healthy; feelings of anxiety and depression can be brought on by the lack of a bedtime routine. As mentioned earlier, you need to make direct improvements to your mental health, but your physical health still impacts the way you think and feel.
Which of these three things is something you think you could give a little extra focus? I mentioned recently that I’ve been getting about 15 minutes or so more sleep lately and it’s definitely noticeable in how I feel.
-Kristen
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links, from which I may receive income. All opinions are, as always, my own. While I am an ACE Certified Health Coach I am not a medical professional and the information provided in this post is not to be considered medical advice.
Consistent movement should be my focus.. On gym days, I feel righteous and often even lose a little weight, but on not-gym-days, I feel like a slug. Get moving, more consistently should be my mantra.
I’m a worrier and have learned that good exercise and good sleep help me. Unfortunately, when I worry, I don’t sleep well. That should be the KITA that i need to get up and move.
Sleep. I am an excellent sleeper, probably too excellent or I’d get up and move more.
Thanks for the reminder, Kristen.
Hmm I could probably do a bit more of all 3 of these!
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