You've probably heard a lot about healthy habits, a healthy lifestyle, habits for better sleep, and unhealthy habits. If you've come across these topics in various media, it's because people have become more aware of their health and are seeking ways to live a life of greater well-being.
In this article, we'll share 10 healthy habits you can incorporate into your daily life to live better and improve your overall quality of life.
What Are Healthy Habits?
Let's start by understanding what habits are. We refer to habits as actions or behaviors that we regularly and automatically perform in our daily lives. These habits can be either healthy or unhealthy, depending on whether they positively or negatively impact our physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Habits also play a role in the presence of certain risk factors that can affect our health, and they are essential in preventing not only physical but also mental illnesses. We aren't born with good or bad habits; we create and adapt them through a process of learning, systematization, and gradual refinement.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being," beyond the mere absence of disease. Therefore, we call healthy habits those behaviors that we adopt as our own and that contribute to our well-being.
10 Healthy Habits You Can Implement in Your Daily Life
- Maintain a Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is a crucial healthy habit. Consuming foods from all food groups in sufficient quantities allows us to meet the energy and nutritional needs of our bodies, keeping them in optimal condition. Meal timing also impacts diet quality, so it's ideal to have regular and frequent meals distributed throughout the day.
Breakfast is the meal that provides us with enough energy for the day and helps us focus on our activities. Conversely, it's recommended to have a light dinner several hours before bedtime to ensure a more restful sleep.
- Stay Hydrated
Water helps maintain your body's normal temperature, aids in digesting food, and eliminates waste and toxins effectively. Proper hydration also keeps brain energy and concentration levels at their best and contributes to healthy, hydrated skin. Insufficient water intake can lead to fatigue, decreased cognitive function, mood swings, and a drop in blood pressure.
- Establish Good Sleep Habits
Good sleep habits have become increasingly popular among adults. For many people, getting the right amount of sleep and feeling refreshed when starting the day can be challenging. Therefore, it's important to regulate sleep schedules, reduce caffeine consumption throughout the day, and opt for a light dinner, among other good sleep habits, to achieve a satisfying rest that promotes greater productivity during the day.
- Engage in Physical Activity
Engaging in physical activity is an essential healthy habit to improve both physical and emotional well-being. Exercise has been proven to release endorphins, which enhance mood.
- Avoid Toxic Habits like Smoking, Drug Use, and Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Toxic habits involve frequent consumption of substances harmful to health, which can be challenging to overcome or quit, even when aware of the dangers. Smoking, alcohol, and other drugs are associated with the development of many diseases, making it ideal to minimize their consumption or avoid them entirely.
- Reduce Fat and Sugar Intake
Reducing fat and sugar consumption is probably one of the most well-known healthy habits. Fats and sugars found in many products like sugary drinks, processed meats, dairy products, snacks, candies, and chocolates can lead to weight gain and high blood pressure. The body quickly absorbs these sugars, causing a sharp rise in blood glucose and the release of large amounts of insulin, promoting fat storage and hypertension.
- Maintain Good Posture
The way we sit, walk, and work significantly impacts our health. Incorrect posture can be a significant problem for back muscles, leg circulation, and overall body circulation. By practicing yoga and using compression socks, we can spend more time in the same position (whether sitting or standing) without affecting our body's health.
- Manage Stress
When it comes to fostering healthy habits, managing or reducing stress may seem challenging, as we cannot control the situations that cause worry and restlessness throughout the day. However, stress management is a habit we can cultivate and strengthen through simple activities like conscious breathing, meditation, engaging in hobbies like art, yoga, Tai Chi, gardening, or outdoor activities. These practices help relieve stress and better prepare us to handle stressful situations or concerns that may arise in our lives.
- Cultivate Healthy Interpersonal Relationships
At first glance, we might think that interpersonal relationships don't have a significant impact on our health. However, we increasingly find information and studies warning us of the importance of improving and cultivating our interpersonal relationships. People who feel lonely or isolated are more likely to suffer from depression and chronic diseases, increasing the risk of premature death. Therefore, connecting with loved ones has a direct impact on our quality of life and health.
- Eliminate Bad Habits like Smoking and Excessive Drinking
By now, you may have identified one or more bad habits that repeatedly affect your well-being or health. The first step you can take to improve your lifestyle is to focus on eliminating one of these bad habits and subsequently introducing a new healthy habit that helps you look and feel better about yourself. You don't have to do it alone; the best way to do it is with the help of a professional.
Sources:
FactorNueve - 7 Healthy Habits According to WHO
Life Science Talks: Lifestyle Medicine for Living Longer and Better, Dr. Ana María Betancur S.