With the start of a new year, it’s only natural to want to take steps to improve your health and enhance your well-being. Figuring out ways to do so without disrupting your normal routine can feel like more of an effort, not to mention that sticking to new habits can be quite stressful! Luckily, there are a few surprising tricks you can use to give yourself an edge when it comes to getting and staying healthy.
Decluttering, Organizing, and Cleaning Your Home
Take a look around your home. Are you seeing a lot of clutter and mess? If so, don’t feel embarrassed! Honestly, life can get busy and hectic, so it can be all too easy for clutter to start piling up around your home. If you want to take charge of your emotional and physical health, however, you may need to spend some time clearing out that clutter and cleaning up your home. Studies have shown that having more clutter in your home can increase daily feelings of stress, and all of that chronic stress can take a toll on your overall well-being. Wondering how to tackle your clutter and keep your home clean without adding more stress to your already busy routine? Budget for a maid service. It sounds like a luxury, but if hiring a maid to complete a deep cleaning will boost your health and happiness, it’s a worthwhile investment.
Finding Opportunities to Get Outdoors More Often
All too many of us spend our days inside crouched over desks or caring for children, and that can be bad news for our physical and mental health. Not only does being outdoors encourage us to stay active, but exposure to sunlight, in moderation, can aid your body in the production of vitamin D, which is essential for a healthy immune system, a balanced mood, and a productive metabolism. Of course, you should balance your need for sun with your need to avoid skin cancers, so make sure to wear sunscreen when you’re outside.
Of course there will be days when the weather won’t accommodate outdoor activity, but don’t let this hold you back. You can still get a walk in at a museum or the mall, and there are plenty of ways to exercise at home as well, and you can use exercise videos or fitness apps to get the most from your workouts. If you’re a senior, make sure you focus on balance and strength exercises to improve muscle strength and reduce the risk of falling.
Spending More Time Working Your Green Thumb
Modeling your health goals after plants can provide a basic blueprint for your health and wellness plans, especially if you focus on getting healthy doses of sunlight and hydration. Plants can be helpful for your health and well-being in other ways as well, so you may want to consider taking up a bit of gardening to complement your efforts to boost your health. Plants help rid the air of toxins and replenish oxygen, so you should be able to breathe better with indoor plants, but your new green friends can also enhance your focus, block out sound, and even make chronic pain more manageable. If you have room for an edible garden, growing a few veggies and herbs can also help you stick to a plant-based diet, which has been shown to have major health benefits.
Keep in mind that before starting any diet, it’s wise to talk to nutrition professionals. The team of nutritionists at Beach Medical can offer you nutrition counseling and an action plan to ensure you hold yourself accountable.
Taking better care of your health can take some effort. But with a few tricks up your sleeve, you can make this your best year yet, and you can do so with a lot less stress!