Lifestyle Lift

Image Source: Pexels

Are you sick of feeling tired, depressed, bored, and unhappy?

The modern lifestyle tends to contain many things that are actively harming your mental and physical health, but you do not have to be stuck feeling miserable.

A few easy activities can resolve many common issues almost overnight. These ten simple lifestyle changes help you to feel happier and healthier without requiring much effort at all.

1. Go to Bed and Wake Up at the Same Time Each Day

Many people stay up late on the weekends and then switch to getting up early when you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, your body gets used to this and starts naturally producing the hormones needed for sleepiness and alertness at the proper times. People who follow this tip find that they start falling asleep as soon as they get in bed and waking up a second before their alarm.

2. Get Moving

Humans are not meant to spend all day sitting inside at a desk, and many of the common modern health issues are linked to a sedentary lifestyle. Health experts find that just 10 minutes of vigorous exercise a day is enough to drastically improve your health.

All you have to do is sprint around the block or spend a few lunch breaks in the gym, and you get enough exercise to lift your mood, ease stress, and improve your cardiovascular health. If you have the time to up your exercise to 30 minutes 5 times a week, you can get even more benefits.

Any way that you can get your body moving will be a step in the right direction. Even just taking a few minutes to get up and clean around your home. Grab your favorite vacuum, your duster, and your music, and get it done!

3. Eat More Probiotics

Probiotics are a type of friendly microorganism that helps the body to digest food properly. Another interesting thing about probiotics is that these friendly bacteria naturally raise levels of dopamine and other chemicals associated with an improved mood, so studies have found that taking probiotics can reduce depression risks.

This is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to take charge of your life. All you have to do is take a supplement or add yummy foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi to your diet.

4. Reduce Alcohol Intake and Stop Smoking

We are exposed to all sorts of toxins that have a negative effect each day, but there are only a few you can control. Alcohol is one of the toxins humans most commonly ingest, and it causes all sorts of problems like insomnia, reduced sleep quality, impaired athletic performance, and fuzzy thinking.

Try to stick to no more than one drink a day if possible. Stopping smoking is also important to your daily quality of life because it causes harmful effects like impaired breathing, lower endurance, reduced sense of taste, and high blood pressure.

5. Visit Wellness Experts

It is important to remember that you do not have to do everything alone. Fortunately, there are plenty of great wellness experts who offer helpful classes and services.

These workshops can teach you the tools you need to manage your own health, while acupuncture, massage, and psychotherapy can refresh you mentally and physically.

6. Drink Enough Water

The average person is walking around slightly dehydrated all day long. Without enough water, the brain and body cannot function properly. Try to aim for at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day.

If you do not like the taste of plain water, try herbal tea or water infused with lemon or cucumber. Basically, anything without added sugar or excess caffeine can help you get hydrated.

(Read also: Infographic: How to Pimp Up a Glass of Water)

7. Take a Break

Doing almost anything for too long makes you feel burnt out and can have negative effects on your body. Experts recommend that you glance away from your computer or phone screen for at least 20 seconds every twenty minutes.

It is also a good idea to stand up and move around a few steps every half hour. The final thing you should take a break from is stress.

Remember that it is ok to take mental health days, stop responding to toxic friends, or avoid reading stressful news articles. This can be very valuable for your mental health.

You may also want to get into a new hobby to take your mind off what’s stressing you out. Try something creative like art and crafts or something unique like lock picking. Arts and crafts are known to help boost your creativity and mood.

Meanwhile, lock picking is an incredibly useful skill, perfect for people who like to fiddle with puzzles and all sorts of things. If you’re interested in learning this skill, all you need are a lock pick set, practice locks, and a lock picking guide to learn.

8. Spend Time With Friends

Humans are social creatures, so we need friendship to feel as healthy as possible. Researchers have found that just talking to a friend or giving a loved one a hug can lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

The positive effect of friendship is so strong that doctors have noticed seniors with strong social support groups have a far lower risk of death.

If you do not currently have friends, don’t despair. Check out local meetups to find people who enjoy the same hobbies as you.

9. Work on Reaching a Healthy Weight

If you are overweight or underweight, one of the most important things you can do is make changes to your diet.

Use an online calculator to find your total daily energy expenditure, and then use a calorie tracking app to make sure you eat the appropriate number of calories per day.

Those struggling with weight loss need to pay special attention to their diet. Eating a high number of unprocessed foods can help to fill you up without packing on the calories.

10. Meditate for Five Minutes a Day

Meditation is an easy way to improve your mental state, and you do not have to spend hours without moving to get the benefits.

All you have to do is find five minutes of the day to sit in a quiet area and breathe in and out without focusing on any thoughts. This helps you to manage stress better, and you instantly feel refreshed.

The hardest part of changing your life with these tips is just sticking to them. On average, it takes a little over two months to make a habit, so if you can keep up with these activities for that long, it will be easier to permanently change your lifestyle.

The nice thing about these life-boosting options though is that you do not have to spend months to get an effect. You will notice concrete improvements after just a few weeks of following these tips.

About The Author:

Stacey Smith is a freelance health writer. She is passionate to write about women’s health, dental health, diabetes, endocrinology, and nutrition and provides in-depth features on the latest in health news for medical clinics and health magazines.

Love to Share