Most of us want to live long, happy, successful, and healthy lives. Unfortunately, in our pursuit of success we often take shortcuts with our health—and wind up suffering from various ailments and disabilities that we could have avoided.
Though many of us live stressful, demanding lives, with just a little tweaking here and there, we can develop habits that will help us live healthier and more productive lives. Here is a recap of some of the things we discussed in our Healthy Habits Series.
1. Meditate: Being still is becoming a lost art. Spend time every day, even five minutes, being mindful, and you’ll improve your ability to concentrate, lower your stress levels, and probably be less of a jerk.
2. Keep a Journal: Setting aside a little time each day or week to record your thoughts or just what’s happening in your life will serve as a healthy release for whatever is filling up your mind and spirit.
3. Be Grateful: Find one thing every day that you can be grateful for, and do it on purpose. Write it down or find a friend who will ask you every day, “What are you grateful for today?” This will make you more optimistic and give you a healthier outlook on life.
4. Go Minimal: But reducing your amount of stuff and focusing on what you really actually need will not just clear the clutter in your closets. It will also clear clutter in your head.
5. Turn off Screens before Bed: Studies have shown that the light of devices can suppress your body’s release of melatonin, a hormone that’s production is key to helping you fall asleep and your body’s clock or circadian rhythm. Try reading a book or listening to a meditation app instead.
6. Laugh: Take joy in your life. Do things that make you laugh; spend time with a friend reliving good times, read a funny book, watch a comedy movie. Laughing is a healthy and productive release in life.
7. Exercise: Regular exercise is probably the closest we can get to a fountain of youth. Regular exercise helps control weight, maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints, and reduces our risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. Further, about 260,000 deaths per year in the U.S. are attributable to the lack of physical activity.
8. Stay hydrated: Getting the proper amount of water is extremely important as every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies needs water. Instead of trying to drink 8 glasses a day try to drink enough water that you urinate once every 2-4 hours, and the urine is light in color.
9. Get your sleep: Sleep is crucial to our wellbeing. As we sleep, the brain clears away the debris of the day’s work while resetting and restoring nerve networks so that they can function fully when we wake. The consequences of sleep deprivation may go far beyond the well-known, and have possibly long-lasting effects on your brain.
10. Challenge yourself: We all get into ruts, doing the same things day after day, but to keep both body and mind agile, get into the habit of taking on challenges. And don’t feel embarrassed about not being an expert. Remember that every expert was once also a beginner.
At Body & Soul we offer free monthly Wellness Workshops. Follow us on social media for the latest updates and workshop dates.
https://www.facebook.com/BodySoulSalem/
Body & Soul Massage
111 Canal Street Salem Ma 01970
978-825-0040