Do you want to live a long, healthy, high quality life? Most people will automatically say "Yes". But some of the more skeptical among us might ask "Sure, but what's the catch?". Well, the catch is that it might take a little bit of work on your part. But this work will yield some pretty high rewards if you do it right.
It's not uncommon to feel emotionally stressed, physically exhausted, and unhappy with what you see in the mirror. Over time, these bad feelings can degrade your health and even shorten your lifespan. But if you follow some of the ForVita simple tips for staying healthy and happy, you can live to a ripe old age - and enjoy every moment of it.
Notice the specific word choice there: better, not more. When it comes to sleep and human health, scientists are beginning to learn that quality matters a whole lot more than quantity. If you don't believe us, then give yourself this little test: have you ever woken up feeling groggier and more exhausted than when you went to bed the night before, even though you got your recommended 8+ hours? If you answered yes, then you've already proven our point.
Practicing good sleep hygiene can help boost the quality of your sleep. This involves taking electronics out of the bedroom, turning down the thermostat, and doing whatever you can to block out ambient light. This helps your body realize "Oh, it's time to rest now" and release sleep-friendly hormones that promote good sleep quality.
Once you perfect your sleep hygiene routine, the next step is to keep track of your progress. It's hard to know whether or not you're getting better quality rest because, well, you're asleep. It's a bit difficult to observe how well your sleep is improving when you're unconscious.
One solution to this problem is to keep a journal right next to your bed. Make a note in your journal if you remember dreaming. Dreams are a sign that you're getting more REM sleep, which is the portion of your sleep cycle where your brain and body refresh themselves the most. Also, keep track of how often you wake up feeling alert and refreshed. After all, that's the ultimate goal, right? The more frequently you wake up feeling ready to take on the day - instead of crawling back under the covers - the more you will improve your quality of life. Learn more.
...but it doesn't have to be the grueling, flailing, insane cardio workouts you see people doing at the CrossFit gym you walk past on your way into the grocery store. You have to find the type of exercise that works for you, or else you're not going to do it. If you want to find the right exercise for your lifestyle, make sure that your workout:
In case you haven't noticed, the modern western diet is a big ol' mess. Our food is processed, choc-full of refined sugars, bloated with excessive amounts of salt, and partially hydrogenating our arteries with trans fats. Look, we're not saying you have to completely give up on your favorite foods and restrict yourself to the produce section of your local supermarket from now until forever. But giving yourself a little bit more food variety - especially the green, colorful, freshly-picked kind - can do wonders for your health:
Everyone is obsessed with the number on the scale. But that's not the most accurate way to measure whether or not a person is in good, healthy shape. Even the ubiquitous BMI, which claims to be a highly accurate measure of health, isn't completely accurate. For example, a professional bodybuilder who's 6' tall and weighs 230 lbs would be considered "obese" by BMI standards. And we're fairly certain that most bodybuilders have a smaller risk for heart disease and/or metabolic disorders than the average person.
Which brings us to the main issue: losing weight to improve your health isn't about hitting lower and lower numbers on your bathroom scale. It's about losing weight in ways that improve your overall health, longevity, and quality of life. Instead of worrying about what the scale says, pay special attention to these very important numbers:
Sure, words like "spirituality" may provoke images of Woodstock hippies rolling around in muddy clothes preaching about peace and love - but true spirituality is much more than that. And try not to get spirituality and religion confused; when we say "spirituality", we're talking about a serene sense of inner peace, both with yourself and with the way you relate to the world around you.
Cultivating your spirituality, especially if you currently feel chronically stressed and uneasy, can greatly improve your quality of life as well as your health. Although the data is still relatively young, there are plenty of scientific studies out there showing a direct link between emotional stress and physical illness. So if you want to prevent your emotional turmoil from making your body sick, try following some of these steps:
We hope you enjoyed this article. Please return to ForVita periodically for more tips on a healthier, happier life.