5 Simple Habits to Implement Every Day to Help Improve Your Health

1. Wake up 15 minutes earlier

Waking up early can be a great way to start your day. It sets you up for success, physically and mentally. Research shows it is easier to be successful in the morning than the evening, so if you are not accustomed to waking up early, try to aim for at least 15 minutes earlier than what you are used to waking up now. This will help give your day a head start towards success.

On the other hand, insufficient sleep can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can subsequently result in high blood pressure and poor heart health. Aim for an average of 7 – 9 hours of sleep every night.

2. Replace processed foods with whole foods whenever possible

The Western diet is high in processed foods and low in whole foods. Processed foods are quick, convenient, and cost less per calorie. However, people who eat processed food or refined grains typically consume more calories than an individual eating whole grains.

The consumption of refined foods like sugar, white flour, and processed fats can lead to increased risk for obesity and high blood pressure. The refining process removes many important nutrients found in whole foods, such as fiber, vitamin A, E, K, B-complex vitamins, minerals like calcium and magnesium

3. Practice meditation

Practicing mindfulness meditation is a great way to improve your mental and physical health and create a more mindful and purposeful life.

We live in a world with so many distractions and we spend most of the time on our devices. This means that we don’t take the time to relax and meditate. A study found that meditation can help relieve anxiety and stress. Stress is a major factor for depression and anxiety spectrum disorders, which are now at an all-time high in America.

Meditation helps you increase your capacity for happiness, contentment, and resilience to life’s challenges. It can also help with your attention span as well as your focus, productivity, energy levels, quality of sleep, ability to control anger, or even weight loss. Meditation has been proven to lower blood pressure by reducing stress hormones like cortisol or adrenaline which would otherwise raise it.

4. Drink more water

Studies say that not drinking enough water can lead to headaches, constipation, and even kidney stones. It is important to remember to drink enough water every day.

It is estimated that the body needs at least 2 liters of water for basic functions such as staying healthy and maintaining a healthy weight. For this goal to be met, one must make sure they drink about 1/2 a liter of water every hour.

5. Exercise for at least 15 minutes every day

The benefits of exercise are many and far-reaching: it lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of diabetes, boosts mood and energy levels, improves mental well-being, and much more. In addition, research has revealed that exercise may even lengthen life expectancy.

Health experts recommend that 15 minutes is the minimum amount of activity an individual can do to gain any health benefits. Research has revealed that 15 minutes of exercise a day can cut risk of death by 14% and boost life expectancy by 3 years. The study showed 15 minutes of moderate exercise per day or 90 minutes per week, can add 3 years to your life.¹