Boosting health and wellbeing is a target for many people at the start of a new year, but this year, it’s even more crucial to make health a priority. Health has dominated the headlines for the past year, and the pandemic has underlined the importance of taking good care of your body and mind. In this guide, we’ll provide some top tips to enhance your health in 2021.
Move more
Exercise is one of the best natural tonics for physical and mental health. Being active builds strength and fitness, it improves suppleness and flexibility and it makes you feel great. When you’re working out, you might feel exhausted and it may be painful in those final meters or seconds, but afterward, you’ll feel incredible. This is because your body releases endorphins and the levels of serotonin and dopamine increase in your brain. Try to move more every day and work towards activity targets. There are myriad activities, sports and hobbies you can try. From going to the gym and lifting weights to dancing, spinning, boxing, hiking, walking, jogging, kayaking, climbing, cycling, swimming and playing team sports, you can have loads of fun, explore the great outdoors or work out at home, get your heart racing and boost your health. If you’re not used to exercise, start trying to build your activity levels gradually. If you have a wearable device or an activity tracker, for example, see where you are and then set targets. If you‘re doing around 2,000 steps a day, try to get to 3,000 by the end of the week and keep pushing the number up as you get fitter and stronger.
Prioritize nutrition
What kinds of images pop into your head when you hear the word ‘diet?’ For many of us, the focus of discussions about diet is weight loss. It is beneficial to change your diet to try and lose weight if you’re overweight, but nutrition should always be the priority. Your diet should provide your body with vitamins, minerals and nutrients. If you’re on a mission to improve your health, making changes to your diet is an excellent idea. Increase your intake of fruit and vegetables, try to eliminate foods that don’t offer any nutritional value and eat more whole grains. Use a food diary app to monitor your diet and highlight deficiencies or shortcomings. You might find that you’re eating too much sugar or salt and not enough fiber or protein, for example. Your diet should provide all the nutrients you need, but if you want to explore supplements or the benefits of gummy vitamins, it’s wise to seek advice from your doctor or a nutritionist. Supplements can be helpful to target specific problems related to underlying health issues. If you’re looking for inspiration for healthy eating plans or recipes, use the Internet, watch TV cooking shows and search for ideas on social media.
Take time to rest and recharge your batteries
Many people are feeling stressed, anxious and exhausted at the moment. If tired has become your default setting, or you’re finding it hard to relax and switch off, it’s critical to take care of your mental health and to ensure you get enough rest. Establish a sleep routine, which enables you to get the hours you need. Ideally, adults should get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Create a bedroom that is tranquil and calming and give yourself time to unwind in the evenings before you go to bed. Try and steer clear of triggers if you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Many people find that social media makes them feel uneasy, for example. If this is the case, limit your consumption and set a cut-off point. This will help to ensure that you don’t feel on edge when you go to bed. Make time for activities and self-help solutions that make you feel good. Listen to music, watch old movies, write a diary, hang out with friends virtually, cook, bake, paint, go for long walks in the countryside or curl up with a good book. Whatever makes you happy, ensure that you have time to have fun, recharge your batteries and recover. We often view mental health as something that needs fixing, but there are things you can do to protect your mental health and improve wellbeing. Even if you feel fantastic, you can take steps to induce and maintain calm and happiness.
Many of us are keen to do more to enjoy good health in 2021. If you’re on a mission to champion health and wellbeing, take these top tips on board.
