How to Improve Your Health in 5 Ways

Healthy living, without a doubt, is the best way to prevent disease. 

But how can you improve your health?

With the convenience of technology and processed foods these days, falling into an unhealthy lifestyle is just so much easier. 

Some people simply do not know where to start to improve their health, while others lack awareness and don’t understand the potential consequences of neglecting one’s health. 

Either way, if you want to finally turn a new leaf over, here are the 5 best ways to improve your health.

#1 Maintain Good Sleep Quality

Your sleep quality has an impact not only on your mental health but your physical and emotional health as well. Getting a good night’s sleep is like restarting our body, which refreshes our system for the next day. Essentially, our vital organs function better when our body gets ample rest. 

Benefits

Good sleep quality enables the body to:

• Restore and strengthen the immune system
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Lower the risk of serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease 
• Reduce stress and inflammatory responses
• Improve energy levels, overall mood, and productivity
• Boost mental clarity

Improving Sleeping Habits

How do you improve your health with sleep? Here are some tips to help you snooze better:

• Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine at least two hours before bedtime
• Allow some time for winding down before bedtime
• Stop using electronic devices at least an hour before sleeping
• Keep your bedroom dark or dim and quiet with a temperature conducive to sleeping
• Sleep and wake up at the same time every day to train your body clock

#2 Stay Hydrated

Our body should get the right amount of fluids to keep our cells functioning well. However, most people only drink water when they feel thirsty and parched, which is a bad habit. The human body is 60% water on average, so optimal hydration is a key component for good health. Furthermore, proper hydration helps deliver nutrients to cells. It also improves oxygenation by increasing the blood flow to the brain.

Benefits

Optimum hydration facilitates biological processes that aid in the following:

• Thermoregulation
• Digestion
• Skin health
• Electrolyte balance
• Joint health
• Flushing out toxins
• Kidney health
• Brain function
• Physical performance

Improving Hydration

Did you know that headaches are the most common earliest sign of dehydration? Most people don’t even realize or notice this. If you get headaches but can’t figure out the reason and you feel you haven’t had enough fluids, it’s time to drink up. 

But while it’s recommended to drink 8 glasses of water a day, this may not be appropriate for everyone. The National Academy of Medicine recommends this guide to adequate daily water intake based on age group: 

You can also follow the recommended intake based on weight, which is an ounce of water per 2 pounds of body weight. So if you weigh 50 lbs, your ideal daily fluid intake is 25 oz.

However, there are several factors one must take into consideration when estimating adequate fluid intake:

• If you’re physically active or sweat a lot
• If you live in a warm/hot climate
• If you have diarrhea or are vomiting

If you belong to any of the above, your fluid intake should be more than the recommended values.

Start with these practices to make sure you’re getting enough fluids every day:

• Carry a water bottle with you when outdoors, especially during hot weather
• Eat foods with high water content like soups or fruits like watermelon, pineapple, etc. 
• Limit caffeine as they are a diuretic and will speed up the excretion of fluids
• Drink fluids before you get thirsty
• Dilute water with flavors for added taste but limit added sugar, use fruit slices instead

#3 Start a Healthy Diet

Starting a healthier diet is probably the most challenging part of switching to a healthier lifestyle, especially if you’re used to the convenience of fast food and processed instant food items. 

As you may already know, eating junk food will only make you feel tired and bloated. Consequently, long-term consumption is likely to lead to chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, and even cancer.

Benefits

Food is our main source of sustenance, so making it count can make a big difference to one’s health:

• Lower risk of chronic diseases
• Stronger immunity
• Maintaining ideal weight
• Better memory
• Longer life

Improving Eating Habits

Here are better eating habits you can replace your bad ones with:

• Cut back on saturated fats, eat healthy fats instead
• Limit salt and added sugar
• Consume more nutrient-dense foods
• Do not eat fast, chew your food slowly
• Avoid overeating
• Plan your meals

#4 Exercise Regularly

Engaging in physical activities is the easiest way to boost circulation, which improves oxygen supply to all organs. When you have poor circulation, you may be prone to peripheral artery disease, blood clots, obesity, and a weakened immune system. And if you live a sedentary lifestyle, you may find that you also tire easily even from a simple exertion. 

Benefits

Regular exercises can be a form of biohacking, which can be beneficial in the following aspects:

• Mental health 
• Weight management
• Disease risk reduction
• Strengthening bones and muscles 
• Boosting energy
• Sleep quality

Improving Physical Activity

If you cannot commit to working out just yet, you can start with these simpler physical activities:

• Brisk walking or jogging
• Yard work (mowing, raking, etc.)
• Dancing
• Swimming
• Biking
• Climbing stairs or hills
• Playing physical sports

#5 Manage Stress Effectively

Stress is a normal response to potentially dangerous events. In mild to moderate cases, it can even help us become more productive. However, long-term and extreme stress is detrimental to one’s overall health. Excessive cortisol (stress hormones) can trigger inflammatory responses and cause tension, weight gain, increased blood pressure, and may even affect mental health. 

If you work or live in a stressful environment, learning how to manage stress effectively will help you cope better and avoid the risks of chronic stress.

Benefits

Effective stress management benefits health in the following areas:

• Sleep
• Mental health
• Mood
• Muscle tension
• Digestion
• Immunity

Improving Stress Management

Consider the following tips to manage stress:

• Improve your problem-solving skills
• Practice efficient time management
• Do yoga
• Get a massage therapy
• Meditate regularly
• Plan time for relaxation

How to Improve Overall Health: Avoid These Unhealthy Habits 

You cannot truly enhance your health until you eliminate bad habits that will only undermine your efforts to improve your health. If you do any of these, it’s time to ditch them:

• Not getting enough sleep
• Drinking alcohol
• Smoking cigarettes
• Overeating or mindless eating
• Sitting or standing for long periods
• Eating heavily processed and refined foods
• Skipping meals
• Living a sedentary lifestyle

Improve Your Health Now

Old habits die hard. But putting in the effort to replace them with good ones will always be worth it in the long run. You’ll feel more energetic, resilient, and just better than ever.

Start reinforcing these new health habits and feel the difference sooner rather than later.