Everyone knows that they should eat more fruit and vegetables, do more exercise, and quit smoking and drinking alcohol. However, it may seem like a huge ordeal to do all of these things together. The thought of it might leave you reaching for your remote control and cookies rather than your running shoes and protein bars. Don’t despair though, here are six small changes that will have a big impact on your health.
Exercise By Stealth
Exercise does not have to mean a trip to the gym or a ten-mile run. You can exercise by parking your car at the furthest end of the parking lot and walking to your office or taking the stairs rather than the elevator. This can have a big impact on the amount of exercise you do over a week, and you will hardly notice doing it.
Swap Office Snacks
It is tempting to hit the vending machine in the afternoon when you begin to feel sluggish but although a chocolate bar might give you an energy boost for a while, your blood sugar level will quickly crash, leaving you feeling worse than you did before. Instead of a vending machine snack, stock up your desk drawers with healthy snacks such as dried fruit or bananas. These will leave you feeling full for longer and give you more energy. It is also an easy way of getting an extra one of your five per day too.
Lower Your Bedroom Temperature
At night-time, your body will naturally cool so having a lower bedroom temperature can promote a good night’s sleep because it lets your body know it is time to rest. A warm room will have the opposite effect and cause you to wake up in the night which will make you feel groggy the next morning. If you want to benefit from a great night’s sleep, find a temperature that is great for sleeping and will help you to feel rested.
Get More Sunlight
Vitamin D is a great way to boost your immune system, help you to resist certain diseases, and keep your bones and teeth stronger. Vitamin D comes from sunlight so try to spend more time outdoors. You might decide to sit in the sun and have your morning coffee, take your sandwiches outside at lunchtime, or go for a walk. An extra ten minutes in the sun per day can give your health a huge boost and it isn’t difficult to incorporate this into your day.
Stand Up
Sitting down in the office can lead to health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancers. Get up and walk about instead. Talk to colleagues rather than sending emails, stand up when you use the phone and don’t shy away from the tea run. Ten minutes of standing up per hour can have a massive impact on your health.
Ditch One Cup of Coffee Per Day
You don’t have to cut out caffeine completely but drinking one less cup of coffee per day will still help you to reduce your caffeine level and promote better sleep. Your health will be greater improved if you replace the coffee with hot water and lemon. This will rid your body of toxins and make you feel healthier. Lemons are a great way to improve your health as they promote a healthy heart and help to prevent health issues such as kidney stones and cancer.
You don’t need to overhaul your whole life to get healthy. A few simple changes can be very effective without being too challenging or making you feel deprived.