Adopting a healthier lifestyle requires a major commitment across all areas of your life. It can feel like an impossible task, but it’s easier than you might think if you break it down into small, manageable bits and adopt one good habit at a time. Here’s how:
1. Find New Inspiration
Avoid stagnation in your quest for health by seeking out new inspiration daily. Social media makes this easier to do than ever. There are countless influencers and novices alike posting about health facts, nutrition tips and fitness routines on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Since the content is in a succinct format, you can learn a ton of new information in minimal time.
Ask your friends and family for recommendations of which social media accounts they love to follow for healthy lifestyle information. Utilize the suggestion features within each platform as well. To get started, aim for a mix of influencers and healthy lifestyle brands that offer interesting content. For instance, Amway has a ton of useful tips and advice on its company YouTube page and Lululemon’s Instagram account has a ton of motivational fitness advice.
2. Watch the Sunrise
Being up to watch the sunrise offers much more to you that just a pretty sky to gaze at while starting your day. While getting up so early may seem impossible for some, it can actually help you to boost your energy levels, since the blue light given off by the sun at sunrise is known to switch off your melatonin production and boost wakefulness. This first light exposure can provide major benefits to your body’s mitochondrial function, which controls everything from your hormonal function to your immune system and much more.
Make it easier on yourself to wake up early to see the sunrise by going to bed shortly after sunset. For thousands of years, our ancestors have lived by the sun’s routines and evolution has proven that this is a great practice for overall health.
3. Minimize Light Exposure at Night
Make it easier on yourself to get to bed early by minimizing your light exposure at night as much as possible. Avoid watching television, using your computer and even looking at your smartphone, as these all have a harsh amount of light that can interfere with your body’s natural sleep and wake cycles.
Consider what kind of lighting you use to illuminate your home at night as well. Keep the lighting soft and soothing, tossing any light bulbs that give off light too bright or blue. Replace those lights with bulbs in warmer tones to create a more soothing home environment that makes it easier to get to sleep at night.
4. Make It Easier to Eat Healthy
You’ve got your fitness inspiration and your sleep all squared away but to really make a big difference in your health, you need to be very mindful of what you eat. In our busy lives, this is often easier said than done, but it can be quite simple with a little planning.
Set aside an hour at the beginning of every week to seek out your recipes for the week and craft a rough menu of all of the meals that you will make for the week. Write it all down, including lunch and snacks, to help you make your best effort. Not only does this help to keep you accountable, but it is also a great way to take the stress out of mealtime and minimize food waste.
By keeping your health goals inspired thanks to social media, light hacking, and meal planning, you can transform yourself into a person with a much healthier lifestyle. Quit wasting time and get to work so that you can begin enjoy the benefits of it all.