Our lifestyle choices have a major bearing on our physical and mental health. It’s not possible to avoid every illness or infection, but making positive lifestyle choices can cut risks dramatically. If you’re looking for accessible ways to boost your body and mind, here are some lifestyle changes to consider today.
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Increasing activity levels
Doing more exercise is one of the easiest and most effective ways to enhance both your physical and psychological health. Being more active will not only lower your risk of developing conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer, but it will also help you reduce the risk of anxiety, depression and severe stress. Whether you have a sedentary lifestyle, or you enjoy sport, but you don’t have time to do as much exercise as you would like to, it’s beneficial to increase your activity levels. You don’t have to become a gym member or go running every day to enjoy the rewards of an active lifestyle. There are all kinds of ways to get fitter and improve your mental health.
Statistics from Sport England show that a quarter of adults do less than 30 minutes of exercise per week. Health experts recommend a minimum of 150 active minutes per week. If you’re starting at very low levels of activity, build up your fitness gradually and try different activities. You can sign up for beginner classes in yoga, dance, aerobics, swimming, tennis or Pilates, join a sports team or club, start jogging or set yourself a daily steps target, for example. Wearing an activity tracker is a brilliant way to monitor your progress. If you usually do around 1,500 steps a day, why not try to get to 3,000 and then increase your count to 5,000 and then 10,000 steps per day? Get friends, partners and family members involved and embrace active hobbies and pursuits. Examples range from golf, football, hockey, netball and tennis to dancing, trampolining, kayaking, hiking, climbing and cycling.
If you enjoy exercise but you’re short on time, schedule exercise sessions around your work and childcare commitments, try home workouts, walk, run or cycle to work, or opt for high-intensity activities. If you do a HIIT session, for example, you can burn more calories in a shorter space of time compared with exercises like jogging and walking.
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Giving up smoking
Smoking rates are going down but research shows that over 6 million people in the UK smoke regularly. Smoking is harmful to your health but it can also affect your social life and finances. Giving up smoking is a surefire way to improve your health and save money but it’s not easy. If you’re a heavy smoker, or you’ve smoked for a long time, it can be particularly difficult to quit for good.
There are therapies, solutions and support available for smokers looking to quit. In some cases, people find that switching to vaping and using products like those from Lost Mary can help them to give up smoking, but this is not effective in all cases. Other options include using nicotine replacement therapy and joining local or online support groups. Research suggests that giving up with other people can make it easier to stop. If you smoke and you have friends and family members who smoke, encourage them to get on board too. Changing your routine and the places you go can also help. Many people find avoiding pubs and spending less time with smokers beneficial while they’re cutting down, for example.
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Prioritising sleep
How much sleep do you get in an average week? Do you sleep well and feel rested when you wake up, or are you one of the millions of people who experience disturbed nights? A YouGov survey revealed that almost a third of Brits don’t get enough sleep. A lack of sleep can affect your body and mind. You may find that you’re more irritable or emotional than usual, you might experience mood swings and you may struggle to concentrate and perform tasks to the best of your ability. You’ll probably feel more tired than normal during the day, you may not be as alert and you might be more vulnerable to illnesses and bugs that are flying around, especially during the winter.
If you find it hard to sleep, make changes. Prioritising good-quality sleep can have an incredible impact on your mental and physical well-being. The first thing to do to improve sleep habits is to establish a routine. Set yourself daily bedtimes and morning alarms to ensure you get enough sleep. Regular patterns will help your body clock to adjust. Use your evenings to get ready for sleep. Relax, unwind and avoid anything that energises you or stresses you out. Keep phones and tablets out of your bedroom. Once you have your routine, you should find that you start to feel tired as your bedtime approaches and that you feel more refreshed when you get up in the morning.
Another important step is to create a restful, comfortable environment. Your bedroom should be a sanctuary that soothes and calms you. Choose colours that make you feel calm, opt for soft lighting and add textures to create a cosy feel. Try to make sure that the space is as serene as possible. Block out light and noise and avoid bold colours and clashing prints and patterns. Add candles and plants and use scents such as lavender and chamomile to help you wind down and relax.
If self-help techniques don’t solve your sleep problems, seek advice from your doctor. It’s important to address chronic or recurrent sleep issues. There may be underlying causes or treatments you can access to alleviate symptoms or help you sleep better.
Making positive lifestyle choices can have an amazing impact on your physical and mental health. If you’re hoping to boost your body and mind, adopting a more active lifestyle, giving up smoking and prioritising sleep can make an incredible difference. It’s not always easy to make adjustments but there is help and support available. It’s also beneficial to encourage friends, colleagues, partners and family members to take the same steps.
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