Three Routine Tweaks For A Healthy Life
Life today is more sophisticated than our ancestors could have ever dreamt of. No more do we live every day as a challenge for survival but instead enjoy commodities that the ancients could’ve only fathomed as “out-of-this-world”. This ease and comfort, which was only wishful thinking for our forefathers, has led to a steep decline in people’s health, both physical and mental. A person’s well-being is accounted for by both, their bodily fitness and peace of mind. Without one, the other is incomplete.
In this article, I will unveil some tweaks that you can introduce to three aspects of your life to make it healthier. You don’t need to commit to hard and fast rules or engage in activities with a steep learning curve, these alterations are simple and easy to adhere to.
Change The Way You Sleep — Do It Properly
This may seem weird to most readers, as in how can one sleep “properly’? Hate to break it to you, but you were most probably doing it wrong the whole time. Sleep reinvigorates the body, and no, it is not optional sleep deprivation can ruin your physical and mental health. Make sure that you get at least 7 hours of sleep, but no more than 9 hours.
Ideally, you should have around 3 REM cycles during your sleep. REM or rapid eye movement is the part of sleep where your body goes into a complete state of relaxation (the most relaxing part of your sleep where your brain’s subconscious is let loose), and this is where you dream vividly. To get the required amount of REM cycles, you need a completely relaxing sleep of at least 7 hours.
Since your body is rhythmically toned for its sleep/wake cycle, make a consistent schedule and stick to it. Only go to bed when you are sleepy and if you find it hard to sleep, get up, read a book (not an eBook, a real one), and when you feel drowsy, return to bed. Your bedroom should be tuned for relaxation, so leave all of your worries outside, avoid bright lights, and be sure to distance yourself from screens and electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Also, be sure to go to the bathroom beforehand even if you don’t feel like going (you’ll be surprised) so that you can enjoy a sound sleep. Don’t consume any heavy meals right before bedtime, but if you get the urge, have some light snacks instead (preferably a homemade salad or beverage like cucumber shots). Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea during nighttime as they can ruin your sleep. With everything taken care of, go to bed and just relax. Hopefully, you’ll wake up refreshed and ready for your day.
Focus on Hydration & Detox
When they say water is life, they mean it in more ways than you can imagine. Not only does it sustain our lives, but it was also the medium where the first life forms originated. In short: we need water (and natural juices), lots of it. Though there is no standard amount as to how much you should drink per day but generally, it is agreed that your body does well with at least 8 glasses per day.
Being properly hydrated not only flushes out wastes and toxic metabolites from your systems but also provides you with vigor, as it kicks your metabolic machinery up a notch. However, simply drinking enough water is not the solution, you must also ensure that you avoid high-sugar foods and colas as they can cause dehydration and pose serious health threats such as obesity, diabetes, and even emotional distress, to name a few.
Hydration and detox can run parallel, and in no time, you will have created a much healthier internal state than what you had surrendered before cola drinks. Detoxification is often misunderstood as a pseudoscience, however, in a moderate sense, it is a highly practical and result-oriented exercise. The idea is simple, avoid foods that either have toxic compounds in them or can create such compounds during their metabolism and instead opt for natural options.
This is where homemade salads and refreshing drinks like cucumber shots take a leap forward. Not only does a cucumber shot taste miles better than a cola drink, but it also promotes weight loss and anti-cancer potential, provides vital anti-oxidants (that combat aging), and boosts your skin’s glow and bone health. You can check out how to make cucumber shots at home, and start sipping a glass-full every day to get your motors running.
Dedicate A Few Minutes to Meditation
Meditation is all about being in the moment, and no, you don’t have to sit idly for hours to achieve peace of mind, a few minutes will do just fine. If you plan it well, you might not even have to spare additional time, and instead, be able to meditate as part of your routine. You can try three exercises that require minimal time and offer brilliant physical and mental results: breathing, reciting mantras, and creative visualization.
Breathing Exercise: For this, you just need to sit, relaxed, with a straight back, in a peaceful spot, where you may not be disturbed by ambient noise or sounds. Just close your eyes, gently, don’t shut them tight. Draw in a breath through your nostrils, not a deep breath but more than what you normally do. Just stay calm, avoid distractions, and notice the air enter and leave your nostrils. Just do this daily for a few minutes and you will notice the difference.
Reciting Mantras: Just make yourself comfy and repeat any mantra or phrase that floats your boat. You can say anything as long as it is not hard to pronounce and has a calming tone to it. Repeat this verse ten times a day, it can even be a positive affirmation, just keep it short.
Creative Visualization: You don’t have to do this every day, just enough to feel self-confident, since stress can ruin your health and peace of mind. Just sit relaxed and calm yourself with some deep breaths. Once you’re perfectly calm and starting to lose your grip on what’s happening around you, imagine a world where you have achieved what you have always wished to. Let the images form but don’t force them, and once you’ve seen all of it, let it go gently.
Bottom Line
These adjustments are not hard to make, they do not demand much from us but reward infinitely more. In the modern era, where life has become a calculated reality rather than an uncertain journey, it is easy to lose your way. However, your health and peace of mind should not suffer, and hopefully, with these tweaks, you will get right back on track.
