To enjoy a good quality of life, we must ensure that we are healthy and strong. Health is wealth; when we prefer making healthy choices, these become habits and part of our daily life and in turn, the benefits are many. A healthy lifestyle can make a big difference and therefore, putting physical fitness and a healthy diet on top is vital.
On the contrary, unhealthy lifestyle choices can negatively impact our wellbeing and also affect, amongst many, the quality of sleep, leading to fatigue, poor performance and reduced alertness.
Changing old habits is a challenging process that involves the following four stages:
- Contemplation – ‘I am thinking about it’
- Preparation – ‘I have made up my mind to take action’
- Action – ‘I have started to make changes’
- Maintenance – ‘ I have a new routine’
Overcoming common barriers: Change is possible!
When you are thinking of fostering a new habit, many roadblocks may make their appearance. In such case, it is important to think of possible alternatives for example:
What we may think: I don’t have time
What we can do: Make your new healthy habit a priority
What we may think: I can’t make this change alone
What we can do: Recruit others to be active with you to help you stay motivated
What we may think: I don’t like physical activity
What we can do: You can be active in many ways, including dancing & walking
9 Healthy lifestyle choices to embed into your daily routine
#1 Focus on nutrition
- Prefer more fresh fruit and vegetables, less meat
- Avoid irregular meal times and food eaten at night
#2 Drink more water
- Water brings healthy nutrients to cells and carries away toxins
- Drink adequate water throughout the day to maintain cognitive function and alertness
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#3 Exercise Regularly
- Exercise speeds up metabolism, increases blood flow
- Exercise helps the body cope with stress
#4 Control caffeine and other stimulants
- Caffeine can improve alertness but it is not a substitute for adequate sleep and rest
- Too much caffeine can have harmful effects: i.e. increased heart rate and blood pressure.
#5 Don’t drink too much alcohol
- Long-term abuse of alcohol can cause serious health consequences
- Alcohol can impair the quality of sleep
#6 Quit smoking
- Smoking is a habit that causes many fatal diseases
- Nicotine users experience more wake time during a sleep period
#7 Get regular health checkups
- Always be aware of the conditions of your body
- Checkups increase the chance of preventing any illness
#8 Invest time and money in yourself
- Develop yourself is one of the most important aspects of your life
- Give priority on what you like and appreciate; this tactic can raise the quality of your daily life
#9 Do something different
- Trying something new can encourage you to live more energetically
- This tactic can give you different daily goals and motivation
BUILDING RESILIENCE: Read in this series
