To stay healthy, many factors must be regarded in one’s life. According to the CDC, life expectancy in the U.S. has reduced. It is noted that chronic diseases and disabilities continue to prevail, which calls for a lifestyle change to improve overall health.
When people live a healthy life, they reduce the probability of contracting life-threatening diseases such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, and injuries. To improve the body’s overall health, one must incorporate essential strategies. If you’re looking to improve your health status, here are some of the things you can do.
Prioritize Sleep
Getting good quality sleep every day cannot be overstated as lack of it is known to cause various health issues. Having enough sleep helps to reduce the chances of Alzheimer’s and dementia during old age. It is recommended that one sleeps for at least 7-9 hours every night as the REM cycles allow the body to get rid of toxins that build up.
People must, therefore, ensure that the sleeping environment is comfortable by getting a good pressure relief mattress. Some of the benefits of a pressure relief mattress include excellent support of the head and spinal cord, which relieve any growing stress on pressure points. Such a mattress responds to one’s body shape, movement, and heat, improving overall health.
Reduce Stress
When a person is under stress, the body is forced into an allostatic state. This state is a collective weight of chronic stress and life events. The body becomes inflamed, thereby increasing the person’s heart rate causing the health to decline. When unchecked for long periods, chronic stress can become life-threatening therefore the need to reduce it.
To combat this, a person has to identify the stressors in their life and work towards reducing them. You cannot always avoid stress, and everyone experiences it; however, alleviating it as much as possible can go a long way. Among the various ways of reducing stress includes meditation, yoga, and other useful relaxation techniques.
Eat Healthy
People must eat healthy food at all times if they want to improve their overall health. Adopting a Mediterranean diet can prove to be a very useful strategy. Such foods include vegetables, grains, fruits, beans, nuts, and seafood. This kind of diet supports better heart health, excellent blood sugar levels, and protects the brain’s functionality.
People are advised to have less red meat, processed meat, refined oils, refined grains, and other processed foods. Instead of taking highly caffeinated drinks, one is advised to consume water with the Mediterranean diet. The diet should have lower animal foods, more seafood, and plenty of healthy plant foods.
Exercise Regularly
To have better health and less stress in life, one must incorporate exercise. Exercise is excellent at reducing stressors in one’s life as it provides eustress which motivates and energizes people to become active in life. You must avoid distress as it only brings negative effects such as mood changes, fatigue, insomnia, and much more.
By regularly exercising the body, it becomes ready to tackle any kind of bad stressors that may come. It also promotes better immune systems, controls aging, and physiological functioning. Exercise is known to reduce belly fat which in turn improves metabolic health. Exercise is a great way of treating blood pressure, depression, and various other diseases.
Be Social
Humans are social beings; therefore having a network of people such as family and friends is important in the overall health of a person. Friends and family are known to be a great reason for motivation and focus in most people’s lives. They help one distress and take control of life situations, even for the most introverted people.
Physical touch with family and friends helps release oxytocin, a mood regulator. When people meet physically a lot of anxiety and stress are released, making people more resilient to stress-causing factors. Social interaction also releases dopamine which helps to eliminate pain in the body naturally.
Get Your Health Up and Running
There is no shortcut or quick fix for improving a person’s overall health. One must ensure certain needs are met, such as sleeping comfortably and eating well every day. Regular exercise and being social cannot be overstated as they promote better immunes and boost people’s moods. Ensure that any stressors in life are eliminated by adopting different stress-reducing techniques for a healthier lifestyle.
