7 Simple Ways To Improve Your Health Today

When you have a healthy lifestyle, it doesn’t just help you live longer. It makes every day of your life more enjoyable. You’ll feel better mentally and physically, and all it takes is getting into the right habits. Start with these seven simple ways to improve your health.

1. Increase Your Water Intake

Water makes up about 60 percent of your body, and because of that, your body will function much better when it’s properly hydrated. The old guideline of eight glasses of water per day is a myth, but it’s still good to drink plenty of water, especially when if you exercise frequently.

Top athletes often drink a gallon per day of water. Although you probably don’t need to drink that much, there isn’t any harm to it.

2. Start Meditating

Meditation is a great way to relax and learn to live in the present, instead of letting outside worries affect your life. You can meditate for as long as you want, whether that’s five minutes of 45 minutes. It’s especially helpful to take some time and meditate when you’re feeling stressed.

3. Make Healthier Food Choices

When you have healthy eating habits, you can reach and maintain a healthy weight, you’ll feel good and your energy levels will be great. The key to eating healthy is focusing on natural foods. You essentially want to ensure that what you eat comes from either an animal or the ground, not a box.

If your eating habits could use some work, it’s best to start small. Substitute healthy food items in for unhealthy items one or two at a time. By making gradual changes, it’s easier to adjust and you won’t be as tempted to go back to your prior eating habits.

4. Protect Yourself from the Sun

In moderate doses, the sun can be good for you. It supplies vitamin D, it improves your mood and you get a nice tan in the process. But the sun can also do quite a bit of damage if you’re not careful.

Whenever you’re out in the sun, apply plenty of sunscreen to protect your skin. Make sure you also put on a pair of sunglasses that block UV rays, because these will help prevent eye diseases.

5. Get Active Every Day

If you live a sedentary lifestyle, your body will deteriorate. You’ll lose muscle mass, your endurance will suffer and you’ll be more prone to diseases. It’s crucial to make physical activity a part of your everyday routine.

Although running, lifting weights and playing sports are all good options, keep in mind that you don’t need to have an intense workout every time. Even just a 20-minute walk will get the blood flowing.

6. Don’t Skimp on Your Sleep

When people are busy, sleep is often the first thing that they cut back on, but this is a bad idea. Lack of sleep will have a negative impact on your performance at work and your overall health.

The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person, but most require seven to eight hours per night. And you can’t short yourself the entire week, and then “catch up” on the weekend. You can, however, sleep a bit less at night and opt for a nap during the day, which is known as a biphasic sleep schedule.

7. Practice Positivity

Mindset matters. Research has shown that people who maintain an optimistic attitude tend to live longer, have better resistance to colds and better cardiovascular health, to name just a few of positivity’s many benefits.

If you typically have a pessimistic attitude, changing your outlook takes time, but it’s possible if you commit to it. When negative self-talk creeps up on you, put a stop to it. If you're going through something difficult, look for solutions and focus on moving forward instead of dwelling on the negatives.

To reap the benefits of these tips, you need to apply them consistently to your life. If you make these into your everyday habits, it won’t be long before you’re noticing that your health is better than before.