4 ways to be Healthier that really are achievable

August 4, 2016

by HelloFresh Get To Know Us

Contents

We’re not really the boot camp types. Yelling and regimes and commandments which must never be broken is all well and good in the theoretical, but perhaps less achievable for us mere mortals.

Here are four simple ways to be healthier that we think are pretty achievable. Take them as you wish, find a place for them in your lifestyle, and not only will you feel healthier, but we reckon these steps for achieving wellness will have you feeling happier as well .

Get Moving

Sometimes it seems that labelling physical activity capital letter ‘E’ Exercise can cause it become a rarified activity, something to be ticked off in the checklist between ‘do taxes’, ‘feed dog’ and ‘clean out underneath the bed Oh God what is That?’. Some people thrive on regiment, but for a lot of us, this kind of hard and fast approach to being active can mean that more often than not we shirk our responsibility to look after our bodies, and head to the pub after work for a session instead.

Katy Bowman (you might have heard her on the Joe Rogan podcast) is a biomechanist whose approach to movement is deceptively simple – just move. Bowman draws on the ancient history of humans to develop her approach; rather than repeating a static movement over and over again (like lifting a weight), carry irregular objects you come across in your life. Need to get somewhere? Walk! Ride a bike! Watching telly? Try sitting on the floor instead of a couch – it’s not as comfortable so you’ll be forced to change position and move. Making a few little changes in your day can increase the amount of activity you’re doing by half, which you have you feeling better inside and out.

Stay Hydrated

A classic directive that we all too easily forget. How many of us are guilty of chalking up our third coffee of the day before we’ve so much as looked at a glass of water? Grabbing a big bottle of the clear stuff (no, not vodka, water! Cheeky…) and keeping it on your desk throughout the day is a great idea if you need reminding about this. Remember, an adult should be consuming at least 2 litres of water a day! Upping your intake of water is an incredibly easy way of being a little healthier every day.

If you still can’t manage the thought of plain old boring old water (and if that is the case, please reconsider), we have a hack for that too – infused water! It’s low in sugar, can add vitamins and minerals to your diet, and still hydrates very effectively.

Get your 40 winks

If the majority of us were as diligent about getting enough sleep a night as we are about making sure our phones are fully charged in the morning, we’d all be a lot healthier. It’s just that it’s so much easier to plug in a phone than unplug from the world, isn’t it? Struggling to wind down and turn off our brains at the end of the day is a common problem, but there are things we can do to help or hinder the process of getting sleepy.

As hard as it may be to admit, illuminated screens do seem to activate our brains in different ways that can make it hard for us to disengage and feel tired. Reading a book or listening to a podcast can make it a lot easier for our eyes to disengage and our minds to relax. Our sleep also works in cycles, and struggling to fall asleep at night may be a result of dodgy sleep cycle scheduling. Try turning in 15 minutes earlier or later than normal and see if you can drift off more peacefully.

‘Av a Laff!

This has to be my personal favourite tip for being healthier: laugh it off! Laughter is natural response we all have, but it’s also a palpable, physical manifestation of happiness. Not only does it feel good to laugh, it really is good for you! Laughter naturally releases endorphins which improve mental and relieve stress, so all of those trite sayings about laughter being the best medicine really do hold a grain of truth.

Plus, this has got to be one of the easiest things to do to improve your health. In fact, why don’t you have a little giggle now?