Sustaining a healthy lifestyle can feel like a real challenge sometimes, particularly when you’re coping with an already busy life. However, you can very easily achieve a healthier lifestyle by implementing just a few daily tips for health each day. Healthy living doesn’t need to be difficult and is made up of all the little things you do daily. These wellness tips are simple and easy to do. Put them together over time and you will achieve a much healthier lifestyle.
35 simple health and wellness tips for happy living
1. Get 8 hours of sleep
This is one of my favourite wellness tips because I love sleeping! Your body needs a minimum of 8 hours of sleep a night. When you don’t achieve this you will find that you feel sluggish and lack concentration the next day.
If you cannot wake up later then try to go to bed a little earlier. If you are like me, you find it hard to fall asleep quickly, so try drinking a mug of sleep tea about half an hour before you go to bed, and this works wonders. I drift off very quickly. For more information on this and sleep teas that I recommend please visit my post:
2. Drink more water
One of the most obvious wellness tips but a very important one is this one. Up to 60% of your body is made up of water, so as you can imagine if you are not consuming enough then your body cannot function properly. It uses water for so many processes and dehydration can make you feel tired, lose concentration, dry out your skin and eyes and generally make you feel unwell.
The recommended daily quantity of water you should be drinking is roughly 2 litres a day. This sounds like a lot, but if you drink little and often it’s not such a chore. I usually fill up a 2 litre bottle each morning and put it on my desk. That way I sip at it during the day, and I know when it has gone that I have drunk enough.
I don’t particularly like the taste of water, so I drop a rehydration tablet in my bottle which makes it taste better and helps my body to absorb the water more easily. I get mine from Amazon but they are available from many other stores too. Drop me a comment if you want to know the brand I use.
3. Limit your phone, tablet or computer use
I know you use your mobile a lot, because who doesn’t right? But I think we all can use it less than we do. Try to limit the amount of time you are staring at your screen. Use it for work during the day, but only allow yourself 30 minutes at lunch time to check your social media account if you can. Put it way in the evening so you are not tempted.
I find it hilarious when people are walking in the street looking at their phone and not looking where they are going. I sometimes feel tempted to just let them walk in to me, but obviously I don’t really want to get hurt so I don’t.
Having a mobile phone or tablet has allowed us to lose touch with what is going on around us in the real world. We don’t listen when people are speaking to us, we get upset by the comments of strangers on social media and we allow the mobile phone to control us.
4. Spend time with a loved one
Make time to do an activity with your partner or child at some point each day. Having this regular connection will make your relationship stronger and healthier.
5. Listen to your family
When your family speaks to you do you hear them? Do you make the effort to focus on what they are saying? Be present in the moment and give them your full attention. They may be asking for help, or they might just want to talk to someone about their day. They will love and appreciate you all the more for this.
6. Read a book
Reading a book has so many benefits. Books can stimulate emotions, take you on a journey, be an escape from a busy life or purely be educational. Whatever reason you chose to read a book they are fantastic for your mental health.
Some research has shown that reading, even as little as 6 minutes a day, enhances your quality of sleep, lowers stress, and improves your mental alertness. Reading can boost your neural ability while reducing your heart rate and blood pressure.
7. Spend time outside in the sunshine
If the sun is shining go outside for a few minutes. Take a deep breath and feel the warmth. Your muscles will relax, and the sun will help your body to create much needed vitamin D. I always find the sun puts me in a good mood too. The day seems much easier to deal with when the sun is shining.
8. Go for a walk
Exercise, even mild, is very important to keep your blood circulation moving and subsequently the oxygen levels in your system high. You should find that your alertness is boosted after a walk, and you feel less sleepy.
9. Listen to some music
Music can trigger emotions very easily so make sure you pick a tune that is upbeat and has a positive vibe. Used in the right way music can be a great way to relax and de-stress.
10. Step out of your comfort zone
By pushing yourself everyday to try something new, such as food, or over come a fear, such as heights, you are extending the boundaries of your comfort zone. By experiencing situations that you normally fear, you can rationalise your emotions which will help you to cope better with similar situations in the future.
11. Eliminate carbohydrates out of at least one meal per day
You need small amounts of carbohydrate each day, but excess carbs can make you feel sleepy in the afternoon and gain unwanted weight. By cutting out the carbohydrate in at least one meal you are helping your body to maintain a healthy daily calorie intake.
Chicken/fish with fresh vegetables (no potatoes) or a green salad with hard boiled egg or ham/tuna is are some good examples. Why not experiment and see what you can create.
“I’ve started adding one carb free meal a day to my diet and I already feel more full of energy. These wellness tips rock!”
Sharon P.
12. Catch-up with a friend
I bet there is a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while and keep thinking I really must call them. Make it happen, don’t wait anymore. Take half an hour in the evening to pick up the phone and just say “Hi”. They will appreciate the effort and be flattered that you are thinking of them, and you will feel happy that you still have that friendship connection.
13. Eat a vegetarian meal
More people are moving over to a vegetarian diet to help the environment and whilst you may not want to go totally veggie you can do your bit for the planet by eating one vegetarian meal a day. Vegetables are really good for your health so it’s a win/win situation.
14. Finish an outstanding project
We all have little projects around the house that need doing. I personally have a door frame in my kitchen which I look at every day and think I must repaint that. But 3 years have now gone by, and I am yet to start it.
What are you waiting for? (What am I waiting for, for that matter??) Go and complete that long standing project today and get the weight off your mind. Once you’ve ticked it off it won’t be niggling at you any more and you can feel very satisfied that you have achieved something today.
“Your wellness tips gave me the kick up the back side I needed. I have now finished painting my daughter’s bedroom. Thank you so much.” Lorrie N.
15. Do the 5 minute patience mantra
Meditation can be an amazing way to relieve stress and help with self-control. Take 5 minutes each day to say a patience mantra. Escape to a quiet area where you won’t be disturbed and indulge in a few moments of meditation. It will calm you and you will come back with a clear head.
If you need some help with patience mantras then read my blog post which talks you through my personal 5 minute mantra:
16. Start a journal
Keeping a regular journal with a positive angle to it is so great for maintaining your mental health. Sometimes writing down the events and thoughts of your day can help to clarify them in your mind and make them easier to process. It can be used as quite a good stress release.
Many people will find that holding their thoughts and feelings in when they go to bed can prevent them from falling asleep. I am absolutely one of those people.
I feel that writing these things into a journal is a way of emptying my mind and a process of passing them on to be dealt with at another time. If you would like to know more about writing a journal please visit my post:
Also if you want a bit of help with journal prompts check out my other post:
17. Compliment someone
Make yourself feel good by making someone else feel good. Everyone loves to feel a boost to their ego with a compliment.
18. Switch to shampoo bars
Cutting back on your plastic usage is a must in this day and age. I actually feel guilty when I throw away a plastic bottle these days. I know we can recycle them but so many people don’t. If we didn’t use them in the first place we wouldn’t have to waste resources recycling them into something else.
One brilliant way of relieving your guilt is by not using so many plastic bottles. Switch your bottles of shampoo and conditioner to shampoo and conditioner bars. Manufacturers are becoming more aware of this, and you will now find a good selection of shampoo bars in stores, especially health food stores.
The bars you find in the health food stores are very often made with natural organic ingredients and will be kind and gentle for your skin.
Check out my post below for information on the shampoo and conditioner bars I use at the moment. Also, in that post you can see the astounding amount of money you can save too.
19. Make a berry smoothie
Every morning before school I whizz up a berry smoothie for me and the kids. That is our breakfast, and it keeps them going until break time without any problem and me until lunch time.
Milsy Girl’s Berry Blender Smoothie Recipe
In a blender add:
400ml of fruit juice (apple or orange or tropical)
1 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen, although frozen are cheaper and have the same nutritional value)
½ cup raspberries
½ cup strawberries
1 cup porridge oats
¼ cup milled flax seeds and or chia seeds
A good squirt of organic raw honey to taste
> Blend it all until smooth. Poor and serve. Easy.
Note: Any berries can be used in this recipe. I choose these ones because their high nutritional content. Especially the superfood blueberries.
“Fantastic recipe Milsy Girl! My favourite of all your wellness tips.” Helen G.
20. Eat a probiotic yoghurt or supplement
There are plenty of companies that produce probiotic (live cultures of good bacteria) yoghurts or yoghurts drinks these days. You can also get different flavoured Kefir which is high in probiotics. Making sure you keep your probiotics topped up will aid your digestion and keep your gut nice and healthy. One yoghurt per day should do it.
“This wellness tip list has boosted my health loads. I now have probiotics every morning.” Jill H.
21. Increase your magnesium intake
Your body needs a daily supply of magnesium because this is one mineral that it cannot hold on to and store. You need magnesium to maintain good muscle and nerve function as well as energy production. Magnesium can be found in pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach and much more. If you want a bit more information on magnesium for your diet have a look at my post:
22. Increase your Omega 3 intake
Do you think of fish when someone mentions Omega 3? I know I do. And it’s probably because fish, especially oily ones, are a fantastic source. Your body needs a daily supply of Omega 3 (DHA and ALA) as this is the key to a healthy cell structure through your entire body. Learn more about this in my post:
23. Block toxic people from your phone/social media
To be perfectly happy and content you need to surround yourself with people who make you feel happy and content. If a person makes you feel anxious, angry, upset or uncomfortable then block them from your life. Take back control of your feelings. You don’t need them and you don’t need that negativity in your life.
I wanted to add this to my list of wellness tips because I strongly believe it is an important one.
24. Buy a house plant
I have over 25 house plants and I love them. They are not only aesthetically pleasing to look at, but they help to purify the air of any room. Pop over to my post below if you are interested and want to read more about this topic.
“I didn’t know plants could clean the air in your home. These wellness tips are fab” Chloe S.
25. Stand up every 30 minutes
If you have been lying on the sofa all morning or sitting at your desk for long periods of time your circulation could be suffering. Get yourself up off your chair every 30 minutes or so to get your muscles and blood moving again. Even if it is just to make a cup of tea or pop to the loo, its all beneficial to your circulation.
26. Be proud of your daily work effort
Not one of the most obvious wellness tips but very important: At the end of every day, you will probably have achieved quite a few tasks, replied to hundreds or emails, juggled lots of different roles like mum, taxi driver, worker, chef and cleaner. Give yourself a pat on the back and say “well done”. You deserve the praise and if there is no-one to say it for you, say it to yourself. “Well Done Me!” “I am awesome!”
27. Do something to help someone
Make yourself and someone else feel good even if it is a stranger. It is food for your soul. Offer to help someone with something without expecting any reward or compensation. Kindness helps to make the world go round.
“I look at these wellness tips everyday for inspiration” Robert P.
28. Say something kind to yourself
This is one of the easiest wellness tips. Repeat after me “I am a kind and caring person. I am good at what I do, and I know I can achieve anything I put my mind to.”
29. Schedule some me-time
Whether you have a family to look after, work in a busy office or have demanding friends we all need a bit of time away. Time to ourselves to reflect and allow our thoughts to clear. Make sure you schedule in some me-time for at least once a week. It is so important for your mental health and wellness. To find out more read my post:
30. Adapt a positive attitude
Constantly having a negative view on life is very draining for you and the people around you. Do your best, in any circumstance to look for the positives and try not to focus on the negatives.
31. Add Epsom Salts to your bath
Epsom salts can be found on-line and in most health stores. They come as granules in a bag or tub and once added to a hot bath they dissolve nicely. Epsom salts contain a high amount of magnesium so dissolve a cup in your bath and soak for about 15 minutes to allow the magnesium to be soaked up by your skin. This could be a great way to boost your magnesium intake.
WARNING: DO NOT eat them unless you want to spend most of your night in the toilet!
32. Exercise vigorously for 20 minutes
Just 20 minutes a day of an exercise that gets your heart pumping has so many wellness and health benefits from toning muscles, losing weight and strengthening your heart and lungs.
33. Reduce your alcohol intake
When the doctor asks you at your health check-up how many units of alcohol you drink in a week are you honest? Or are you like me who says only 1 unit per week, when I know I have at least 3 glasses of wine over that week and maybe a gin and tonic at the weekend.
While there is some research to suggest that a little bit of alcohol may have some potential health benefits, consuming large quantities every day is very bad for you. It will dehydrate you causing headaches and nausea and can change your mood over time too, making you very grumpy and in some cases quite aggressive.
Excess alcohol puts a huge strain on your liver as well. So, cutting back to only a couple of glasses at the weekend will definitely help.
“These wellness tips helped me get my life back on track. Thank you so much” Frank O.
34. Sing really loudly in the shower or car
Sing at the top of your voice whenever you can as long as no-one minds. The best place I find for this is in the shower or car with the doors firmly shut. I am not the best singer, but I get a massive stress release afterwards and I feel great. Give it a go.
35. Cook a fresh meal from scratch
Yes I know that ready meals are quicker to cook than a meal made from scratch, but the nutritional value isn’t the same. And you will definitely get a greater sense of satisfaction from preparing the whole meal with fresh ingredients. If you are not a great cook already don’t worry. There are so many very easy recipes to follow in books or online. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn a new skill.
Hopefully these wellness tips will work for you and you can find something to implement immediately. Why not help a friend to do the same and share this post with them or just drop me a comment below. Many thanks.
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