We live in a very demanding world with so many opportunities for distractions, so it’s important to develop healthy habits that empower our minds, our bodies, and our relationships. Although there are plenty of ways to develop bad habits, from too much screen time to regular snacking, there are also more ways than ever before to improve your health and develop good habits. Below are just four simple habits you can develop to improve your well being.
Get Moving
Using exercise to develop not only bodily health but also mental health cannot be overstated. It’s a simple and effective way to jump-start positive endorphins and even one short round of simple exercises can be really motivating. Exercise obviously helps us stay in shape, but it’s also been shown to improve symptoms of stress and depression.
Whether you live in Georgia or are visiting Texas, a simple walk around the block at a certain time can help serve as the foundation of a new healthy way of living. The idea here is that by setting up one simple task that is easy to accomplish you can build self-esteem, confidence, and healthy habits over time.
Use Relaxation Techniques
Breathwork is seeing somewhat of a revival these days, which makes sense due to the rising rates of stress and anxiety being reported in the modern world. Knowing at least one common breathing and attention exercise and using it regularly is a powerful practice that you can always lean on no matter your circumstances (unless you’re underwater of course).
A great breathing exercise involves slowly inhaling through your nose for about 6 seconds and then exhaling through your nose for the same amount of time. The goal here is to create a smooth, slow breathing rhythm only through your nose, which has been shown to prove cardiovascular health and reduce anxiety and stress.
Another tool you can use to calm yourself and help with the stress you’re dealing with is to explore your CBD and medical marijuana options, since these have been shown to improve symptoms of anxiety and stress. Access to these tools ultimately depends on your state. For example, if you’re wondering how to get a medical marijuana card in Illinois, it likely differs from the process in California, but your doctor can help guide you there.
Prioritize Deep Sleep
Sleep is one of the most overlooked parts of our lives even though we spend roughly a third of our lives sleeping. It’s an essential part of our learning process as well as how we heal. Today we live in a world surrounded by screens, so actively reducing screen time is one of the best ways to improve sleep in the hours before bedtime since light plays a big part in our sleep schedules.
Sleep hygiene is getting more attention and doesn’t just have to do with how much you use your phone before bed. It means treating your bedroom like a sanctuary of sleep removed from work or stress. This is why you might have been told not to keep your work or books beside you. The overall goal here is to create an association between your bedroom and sleep rather than your bedroom and an active mind.
Don’t Be Afraid to Open Up
Actively seeking supportive environments and places where you can share your thoughts is an important part of working through stressful times and building a foundation for a healthy life. Because of drastic societal changes during the pandemic, we’ve gotten used to isolation in many ways, so it’s important to find ways of being part of a community with common interests.
This might mean sharing your feelings with family and prioritizing that time or simply finding a group with similar interests to share and talk about. In a professional context, team building activities in San Francisco and New York can help you open up to coworkers. In any case, more people are realizing the benefits of talking about their struggles, and knowing that you have support and an outlet like this is vital for long-term growth.
Keep in mind that in order to improve your wellbeing with one of the habits mentioned above, it’s about starting small and creating a practice. Don’t be overwhelmed by the prospect of making a change or starting something new, because you’ll be surprised at how quickly your brain adapts once you’ve started with your new healthy habit.
