Eat a Health Supporting Diet
One of the most important things you can do when it comes to improving your overall health is make sure that you are eating a health-supporting diet. While some may think that they are eating a relatively healthy diet, the truth is that there are many foods that are marketed as health or diet foods that in fact contain harmful additives and hidden sugars that can actually have a negative impact on health and on your weight loss attempts.
Because of this, it can be a good idea to limit processed and packaged foods as much as possible, and opt for simpler meals that include lots of fresh ingredients, like fruits, vegetables, leafy greens and lean meats. This way, you can help cut out diet sabotaging additives, and also help balance out your blood sugar as well, which can have a dramatic impact on your overall energy levels. Additionally, if you sometimes struggle to get all the nutrients you need from your diet, adding something like thrive experience to your health regimen can be a helpful option, as well.
Cut Out Harmful Beverages
Along with assessing your diet and taking steps to cut out harmful additives, it can also be a good idea to assess the beverages you drink, and begin cutting out the ones that could be holding you back. While many enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning to get going, the reality is that too high of a caffeine intake can be bad for you in the long run, especially if you tend to drink large amounts of caffeine, or drink it late in the day.
Because caffeine stimulates your nervous system, it can be great for giving you energy early on. However, it can also keep you up late at night, and disrupt your sleep cycles, leading to tiredness and grogginess the next day. In the long run this can be detrimental to your overall health, and actually hurt your energy levels rather than help them.
Another beverage that it can be beneficial to limit or cut out is alcohol. Although a drink or two in the evening might seem like a pleasant way to unwind, the reality is that consuming it too frequently, even in small amounts can be detrimental to your health. Not only does alcohol break down to sugar in your system and add large amounts of calories to your daily intake, but it can also disrupt your sleep cycles as well, and prevent you from falling into deep, restful sleep. Beyond that, alcohol can be damaging to your collagen levels, and even contribute to premature aging.
Get Regular Exercise
Something else that you should focus on when trying to improve your health is getting regular exercise. Even though most may be aware that exercise is important for staying in shape and feeling healthy, what they may not realize is that many of the benefits of doing exercise come from keeping up a regular regimen. Because of this, it often doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you choose to do, whether it is power lifting or power yoga, you will often still see many similar health benefits, so long as you practice these exercises regularly.
Try Mindfulness
Along with getting plenty of physical activity, it is also a good idea to look after the health of your mind as well. This is due in part to the fact that stress can be one of the biggest health disruptors. Not only does it wreak havoc on your nervous system, but it can also have a negative impact on your physical health just as much as your mental health.
The good news is, though, that there are simple ways that you can begin to effectively combat stress, and mindfulness is one of them. With mindfulness, you can not only often feel less stressed physically, but you can also help change the way that your brain responds to stress, in general. To get the best results from your mindfulness practice, it is best to try to clear 20-30 minutes a day for meditation. However, if you aren’t able to do this, or struggle to focus for that length of time, starting out in 5 to 10 minute intervals and building up can be a good place to start.
Make Time for Hobbies
Even though many know that hobbies are fun and enjoyable, they may not be aware that they can be great for your health, as well. This is due in part to the fact that partaking in a hobby can help to calm you down, reduce stress, and boost the production of chemicals in your brain related to happiness. Additionally, the kind of hobby you enjoy often doesn’t matter, as you can get relaxing benefits from a wide variety of activities, from cooking, to journaling, to fishing.
Stick To a Regular Sleep Schedule
One of the most essential things for a healthier lifestyle is quality sleep. While many are aware that they feel much better after a good night’s sleep, they may not realize how big of an impact it can have on their health overall. Not only does getting good sleep regularly help improve your mood and mental clarity, but it can also help you maintain a healthy weight and prevent major diseases like heart disease and stroke as well.
While it may not always feel easy to stick to a good sleep schedule, the reality is that there are simple things you can do to improve it. By cutting down on screen time before bed, to practicing a relaxing ritual before you go to bed, like reading or taking a bath, you can help make it easier to go to bed at a regular time and get better quality sleep as a result.
Some Last Thoughts
Taking steps to improve your health may be admirable, but it may not always feel easy. The good news is, though, that there are many simple things you can do to begin improving your health today, from cleaning up your diet, to making better sleep a priority.
If you believe that your sleep troubles are being caused by a sleep disorder, contact your local sleep clinic for a consultation with a sleep specialist. At The Alaska Sleep Clinic, we specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide variety of sleep disorders, and have helped thousands of Alaskans improve the quality of their sleep.
Quality sleep is directly linked to your overall health, and if you’re not getting enough of it, give us a call and let us help you discover the cause of your sleep problems.
