It is never too late to begin making healthy lifestyle choices. From prioritizing daily movement to ensuring daily nutrition, there are several things you can do to improve your health and well-being.
Drinking enough water, eating more vegetables, and getting enough sleep each night are just a few healthy habits to add to your lifestyle. Every step you take to live healthier can improve your life in ways you never imagined. For example, you could qualify for a $1 million life insurance policy if you stay in good health.
The Top 5 Habits for a Healthier Lifestyle
We all know that a healthy lifestyle is vital for physical and mental health. But it can be challenging to stick to a routine when so many things compete for our attention.
It is tempting to skip the gym or eat junk food when you get home from work. But if you want to live a healthier life, you must do what you can to make it happen. The following habits will help ensure that you are doing your part.
1. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health. Sleep can improve mood and prevent depression and anxiety while also helping us concentrate. Sleep also helps regulate our hormones, which means we will feel better throughout the day if we get enough shut-eye at night.
How much sleep do you need? The required hours of sleep varies from person-to-person and depends on factors like age and overall health. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
Something may be wrong if you regularly get less than six hours or more than 10 hours of sleep per night. Similarly, if you feel tired during the day despite getting enough rest, you may not be getting enough quality restorative deep sleep at night.
According to a neurology study, a lack of high-quality sleep can lead to:
- Poor performance at work or school
- Moodiness
- Cognitive impairment
- High blood pressure
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Headaches
To improve your chances of getting better quality restorative deep sleep every evening, consider creating a calming bedtime routine. Ease into bed with dimmed lights and turn off all electronics one hour before bed.
2. Stop Smoking
Smoking can lead to severe illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and a stroke. The sooner you quit smoking, the better off your body will be in the long run. If you are having trouble stopping, ask your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy or other medications that might help you kick this habit.
Smoking may also increase the risk of many other health problems, including:
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pulmonary embolism
- High blood pressure
- Osteoporosis
If you are having trouble quitting, here are some tips that might help:
- Be prepared – You may want to try some different types of supplements that help reduce cravings, such as green tea or Vitamin C supplements. Try chewing gum or eating flavored toothpicks when you feel like having a cigarette so that your mouth has something else to do.
- Exercise regularly – Exercise releases endorphins which help relieve stress and anxiety while also helping improve overall mood. Just 30 minutes daily can make a difference!
- Drink plenty of water – Drinking water helps flush out toxins from your body, so drinking eight glasses a day or more (two liters) is essential. You will feel better if you do!
- Get help – If you find yourself experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, anxiety, or depression, then make sure that these feelings are addressed with a professional before they get out of control and interfere with your health goals
One impactful step you can take for your overall health is to stop smoking or avoid it in the first place. You will lower your risk of getting lung cancer and other diseases caused by smoking. You will also improve your life quality and those around you.
3. Drink More Water
Drinking more water is a simple and straightforward task that many people struggle with. The recommended daily water intake is eight glasses of water that are eight-ounces each, which equates to about two liters.
Water helps keep your body hydrated, helps maintain your metabolism, and keeps you feeling full longer after meals. It also aids digestion by flushing out toxins from the body and helping you excrete unhealthy elements like sodium or fat in fast food restaurants or take-out dishes.
In addition, water can help regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, promote muscle function, and maintain bowel regularity. Most importantly, it is the primary component of blood, making up about 55% of total body weight in men and 50% in women. Sufficient water intake leads to a decreased risk of kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and heart disease.
Drinking more water can also prevent headaches and improve your skin’s appearance by keeping it moist while preventing dryness and flaking caused by dehydration.
To help you make a habit of drinking enough water daily, keep a glass next to your bedside table when going to bed. This way, it will be there when needed first thing in the morning. Also, remember to stay hydrated before, during, and after exercise. Set the alarm on your phone to drink water throughout the day.
4. Reduce Your Stress
The average person experiences stress daily. It can be caused by various factors, from work to relationships to finances. Stress can also lead to severe problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression.
When you are stressed, your body experiences fight-or-flight mode. Your mind floods with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormone triggered reactions might have been helpful in the past, but they are not always good for you now. When stressed, your immune system is weakened, making it harder to fight germs and viruses. You might be more likely to get sick when you are under pressure.
Stress also affects your heart health in ways that can be harmful over time. It raises your blood pressure and increases your heart disease and heart attack risk. Stress also makes it harder for the body to use insulin properly, leading to diabetes over time.
It is easy to get stressed, especially if you have a lot going on. It is even easier to let stress take over your life, but it does not have to be that way. There are multiple ways you can reduce stress for a healthier lifestyle:
- Exercise – Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress because it releases endorphins in your body. Endorphins help relieve pain and boost mood. Exercise also releases other hormones that help fight stress and lower cortisol levels.
- Get enough sleep – Lack of sleep can make you feel stressed or irritable, so get enough sleep. If you have trouble falling asleep, try a hot bath or reading something relaxing instead of watching TV before bedtime.
- Find time for yourself – Take time for yourself each day, whether it is taking a walk or spending some time with friends and family members. That way, you are not so focused on everything else around you all the time.
Set aside time each day for something that makes you happy, whether reading a book or having lunch with a friend. Learn to be more optimistic by recognizing negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. Finally, relaxation exercises may help decrease tension and anxiety. Examples include meditation, deep breathing, yoga, and massage therapy.
5. Eat a Better Diet
A balanced diet means getting good nutrients from many different foods rather than relying on one or two types of food for most of your nutrition. There are many ways to improve your diet for a healthier lifestyle.
- Cut down on added sugars – Sugars found naturally in fruits, vegetables, and milk are acceptable for most healthy adults when eaten in moderation. But you should limit sugar added to foods during processing or preparation.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables – Eating lots of fruits and vegetables is essential for maintaining good health because they contain essential vitamins and minerals that help protect against disease. These foods also contain fiber which helps fill you up without adding too many calories.
- Eat fish at least twice a week – Fish is an excellent source of lean protein, helping build muscle mass and Omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower blood pressure and help prevent irregular heartbeat. If you do not like fish or have trouble eating enough servings per week, try taking a fish oil supplement daily instead.
A proper diet is integral to health, but what you eat and how much of it can make a big difference in your lifestyle. You may want to improve your diet for a healthier lifestyle or as part of a weight loss plan. Either way, healthier dietary choices will help you avoid many severe illnesses.
Final Thoughts
Improving your lifestyle will help you feel better and live longer and save money on healthcare costs in the future. Your lifestyle habits can impact your health, and the insurance company knows it.
If you want to qualify for $1 million in term life insurance coverage, it is not just about your family’s financial status. Your lifestyle choices and how they can affect your health significantly determine your policy limit. You will likely qualify for a higher life insurance policy limit by making a few small changes to your daily routine.
Talk with an experienced agent about what kind of life insurance policy would be best for you. Contact Hometown Life Insurance to learn more about your options.
