Despite it now being three months into 2020, there’s still time to take action and set health goals for this year. Whether you want to lose some weight or simply want to improve your overall health, there are several quick and easy methods that you can use. Although the process might seem daunting, once you have these in check and your confidence grows, you’ll soon feel better in yourself. If you’re unsure as to where to start, here are 10 top tips that you can use to help with the process…
Plan Some ‘Me’ Time
When was the last time that you spent a day or an evening relaxing by yourself? Often, you’ll spend most of your days running after the kids, running errands, working, etc. leaving you with no time to unwind. This year, it’s time to take charge and plan in some ‘me’ time for yourself.
Whether this is visiting a local spa, taking a few hours out to read a book that’s been sitting on your shelf since you purchased it or simply relaxing with a warm bubble bath, you’ll start the next day feeling fabulous. Put time aside to pamper yourself with a feel-good skincare routine. Indulge in some luxurious new products or treat yourself to a beauty box. Not only will this give your body time to relax, but it will give your mind a break from the stresses that every day brings. This ensures that your mental wellbeing stays in ship shape.
Try To Exercise Every Day
Ok, so this might seem impossible. But it doesn’t mean that you have to spend several hours a day at the gym. Instead, spend at least half an hour every day doing an activity – this can be going on a walk, a jog or for a swim with the kids. If you’re going to be on your feet, make sure you wear shoe inserts that will keep your feet comfortable, such as the ones from Protalus. Engaging in daily activity will help to lower cholesterol, improve your bone density and normalise your blood pressure (among other benefits). These days it is much easier to keep track of your blood pressure in the comfort of your home. Blood pressure monitors are available from most reputable online pharmacies and can come with a range of additional functions from large digital displays to Bluetooth connectivity.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep Every Night
Do you find that every day when you wake up you’re tired? This could be because you’re having a poor night’s sleep. If you’re finding it difficult to sleep, there are a few noteworthy methods that you could use – including relaxation techniques such as yoga or meditation. If this still isn’t working, another technique you could use is to write down exactly what’s worrying you every night. This will get the stressful thoughts out of your head and away from you for the night.
Quit SmokingÂ
If you smoke, then it could be time to throw in the towel. It’s not easy quitting smoking, but the benefits that you can reap from doing so make the process more than worth it. To effectively quit, start to reduce the amount of nicotine that you consume every day. Then, when it’s decreased, you could take ‘stop smoking tablets’ or use nicotine patches.
Eat More Healthily
Trying to eat more healthily might be a given, but it’s still good to mention and is key to improving your overall health. If you tend to eat unhealthily because you don’t think you have the time to cook nutritious meals, there could be ways of getting over the hurdle. First of all, start by substituting certain foods – such as sweet potato fries instead of normal chips.
Secondly, you should start to cut down on your portions. Often, people tend to eat more than they require – which results in your stomach stretching and you feeling more hungry throughout the day. To overcome this, only cook recommended portions each day.
Stay Hydrated
There are so many benefits that come with increasing the amount of water that you drink each day. Not only will it boost your skin’s health, but it will regulate your body temperature, flush unhealthy toxins, maintain your blood pressure and lubricate the joints.
On average, it’s recommended that you drink around 2 litres of water a day. To ensure that you do this, you could purchase a water bottle that has measurements on.
Spend Time with Loved Ones
Often, when reading about ways to improve your health, you’ll only find suggestions that are based on your physical health. But to improve your overall health, you need to discover things that target your mental wellbeing too. This is where this top tip comes in.
As well as the above, you should ensure that you spend time with loved ones regularly. This will help to clear your mind and increase the endorphins (also known as happy hormones) – which will assist with your mental health. Whether this is planning an event with a family or friend or simply visiting their home for an afternoon of talking, it will help you to unwind.
Stretch DailyÂ
Whether this is before you workout or simply part of your everyday routine, stretching comes with notable benefits that you should recognise. Not only will it decrease muscle stiffness, but reduce stress, enhance muscle relaxation, promote circulation and decrease the possibility of lower back pain.
Go Outside
Are you often cooped up in an office or at home? Then it’s time to go outside and to enjoy the fresh air. Going on a walk, gardening or sitting outside will make you feel a lot better. Whether you have a lot on your mind or you’re simply fed up of being inside all day, it will feel as though a weight’s been lifted off of your shoulders.
Book Regular Checkups
Throughout this year, make sure you book any check ups or health tests required. This can be done via the NHS or through a private healthcare provider, such as Guys & St Thomas. This will guarantee that you’re as healthy as possible and if there are any concerns, you can address these as soon as possible. As well as doctors or consultants, you should book in regular appointments with your dentist and your optician, to check that your dental and eye health is how it should be.
Final Thoughts
So, there you go! Those are 10 simple and quick ways that you can improve your health this year. What techniques or methods you opt for, of course, is up to you. But whatever actions you do take, you’ll be able to experience a healthier and happier year that you’ll love every moment of.
*This is a collaborative post
Read simple ways to boost your happiness at home.
Thanks – focusing on more me time whilst maintaining covid restrictions is proving difficult at home
How lovely to see your suggestion of spending time with loved ones as part of improving your health. It is rare to see it included in such posts and discussions yet it is one of the keys to good health. Thank you.