Wellness Archives - HAPDAY

Why It’s Important to Drink Water and Stay Hydrated

Hapday — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 21:18:00 +0000

It's general knowledge that drinking water is vital for good health. But why? About 60% of the human body is made up of water. The usual recommendation is to have eight glasses of water each day. Although there isn't much data supporting this particular rule, it's crucial to stay hydrated.

Continue reading to discover the 7 benefits of drinking water that can improve your health and well-being.

1. Aids digestion

Contrary to popular belief, consuming water prior to, during, and after a meal can help you digest the food you eat more easily. Drinking enough water also enables your body to absorb the nutrients and get the most out of your meals.

2. Helps to prevent diseases

According to a study published in the Nutrition Review, staying hydrated can help you fight off many chronic diseases, such as constipation, urinary tract infections, hypertension, and coronary heart diseases.

Daily hydration also aids in controlling body temperature, warding off infections, supplying nutrients to cells, and maintaining healthy organ function.

3. Boosts energy

Drinking water helps to activate your metabolism, which is associated with a positive effect on your energy levels. Hydration also makes you think more clearly, concentrate more effectively, and stay more alert.

4. Improves mood

Staying hydrated can have beneficial effects on your mood. Researchers from the University of Connecticut found that an increase in daily water consumption led to significant mood improvements, less fatigue, and increased satisfaction.

5. Promotes skin health

Consuming enough water will keep your skin moisturized and could encourage the creation of collagen. Your skin will stay fresh, soft, radiant, and smooth as a result of the hydrating effects. However, your genes and general sun protection also play a role in this process.

6. Impacts your physical performance

During exercise, it's crucial to maintain a healthy level of hydration because both dehydration and overhydration can have negative effects on performance and overall health. Therefore, increasing your water intake is a great way to boost your performance. It can also influence your strength, power, and endurance.

7. Prevents dehydration

Your body becomes dehydrated when it doesn't have enough water. Additionally, because water is essential to so many body processes, being dehydrated can be extremely harmful. It can cause serious side effects such as seizures, brain edema, kidney failure, shock, coma, and even death.

To prevent dehydration, make sure you consume enough water to replace the fluids lost through sweat, urine, and bowel movements.

Takeaways

Almost every area of your body needs water. Not only can consuming the appropriate amount each day help you maintain your health, but it may also improve it.

The following suggestions may help you make sure you drink enough:

Wherever you travel, always have a water bottle with you. You can then drink water whenever you need to.
Be sure to monitor your water intake. The ideal daily intake should be at least half your body weight in ounces.
Pace yourself so that you have consumed about half of your suggested amount by noon.

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Who Knew Food Could Make You Feel Confident And Comfortable?

Hapday — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Having a good relationship with the food that you eat can be tough. Some of us struggle with eating too much or even just the type of food that we eat and over time, that can make you feel sluggish, unconfident, and uncomfortable with yourself. But, what if I told you that by eating certain foods, you could turn that all around? Today, we’ll be touching on how food can impact how you feel, first negatively, then positively. Stay tuned until the end for some delicious recipes to get you started.

Impact Of Food On The Brain

The Bad

Let’s start off with a problem that a lot of us have, junk food. That seemingly harmless delicious snack, either salty or sweet, is a common guilty pleasure we use to suppress our emotions. With such busy lives, junk food is the easy way out. You can easily have it delivered to your door, you don’t have to cook it, and it tastes delicious. But, did you know that a junk food diet can change your brain in as little as a week? There are two main changes that your brain experiences when you switch over to a junk food diet.

The first change is your memory. Studies have shown that sugar consumption, a larger than recommended amount, can change parts of the brain and is linked to memory loss. For example, at lunchtime, I’ll have a chocolate bar as a treat and soon after, I experience that all too common brain fog. The feeling you get when you don’t feel completely like yourself, you lose your train of thought, and you feel sluggish for the next little while.

The second change that your brain experiences is a behavioral change in your hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of your brain that tells you that you’re full and suppresses the desire to eat. Studies have shown that eating too much junk food such as pizza, burgers, and candy actually changes this part of the brain and causes it to stop working. So, not only does eating junk food affect your waistline, you’re stopping the part of your brain that tells you that you’ve had enough food.

Let’s look at a real-life scenario: You work a busy job in a high-stress environment which doesn’t give you enough time to eat. You typically eat your lunch at your desk, but you need something quick, so you get fast food or maybe have a sugary snack. You get home and you’re too worn out to cook dinner from a mix of stress and unknowingly to you, the food you ate at lunch. You decide to use UberEats and have some food delivered right to your door. After finishing dinner, you feel a little down about your eating habits, so to cope, you decide to open a bag of chips to make you feel better even though you’ve just had a large dinner. You start to feel unhappy with yourself and the cycle continues.

Looking at this scenario, we can really see the ways junk food affects your confidence and overall well-being. First, it attacks your performance, happiness, and energy levels. After that, it turns the part of your brain that tells you to stop eating off.

In addition, for those who are currently carrying a beautiful bundle of joy inside of them, we recommend laying off junk food. Researchers at the University of Melbourne studied the effects of eating junk food and healthy food during pregnancy and found out that it does, in fact, change the behavior of your children. The study found that mothers with a diet that was sweeter or saltier had children who were more aggressive, angry, temperamental, sad, and anxious than the children who had mothers that remained on a healthy diet.

The Good

Not that we’ve gotten the bad news out of the way, let’s talk about the positive effects that food can have on you. Researchers have found that what we eat is indeed related to our mental health. Eating the right foods can increase your confidence, self-esteem, reduce stress, reduce anxiety, and boost your mood. Food can also be beneficial when it comes to body image. When we don’t like our bodies, we can lose confidence and our self-esteem can fall off the edge with it. Now, the word diet is probably coming to your mind, but you don’t have to cut everything you love out of your life. It’s important to know that even changing the types of food you eat can have a huge effect on you both physically and mentally. This doesn’t mean having to change how much you eat but changing the foods you eat to healthier options. Don’t worry, we won’t leave you feeling hungry.

When we eat healthier foods, we affect the chemicals in our brains and those changes to our brains help us feel better about ourselves. Furthermore, eating healthy means no more brain fog and being as sharp as possible. Remember that hippocampus that controls the desire to keep eating? Well, after switching to a healthier diet, you’ll start to notice small changes like feeling full after a much smaller portion size. We’ll start experiencing other changes such as a reduction or even an end to depression, anxiety, and you’ll even notice that you’re sleeping better at night. Long-term health issues may finally melt away, as well as things like headaches, bad skin, brittle hair and nails, tiredness, and lethargy.

So, for those of you that haven’t connected the dots yet, let’s go over how eating good foods can help you feel confident and comfortable. It’s safe to say that when we’re feeling our best, we perform the best. And when we perform our best, we feel confident! Eating good foods will provide your body with the energy to perform at your highest level in whatever you’re doing and keep your brain performing at an optimal level so that your mind stays sharp and agile. Your brain will tell you when you’re full, so you’ll be mindlessly eating much less. What comes with eating less and eating cleaner? A healthier body. Look good, feel good. With the combination of feeling good on the inside and performing your best on the outside, you’ll be shining like a star in no time! So, what foods should we get started with?

What To Eat?

Nuts

Full of fatty acids, proteins, omega-3s, and zinc, nuts can help strengthen your nails. Also, pistachios specifically have been shown to increase brain waves which contribute to your cognition, learning, memory, recall, and other key brain functions. Nuts can be eaten on the side, thrown into a yogurt bowl, or cooked with some of your favorite dishes.

Salmon

With the high amounts of protein and omega-3s in salmon, you’ll have healthy hair in no time. Studies have shown that the good fats in salmon can encourage hair growth, increase healthiness, and give your hair that beautiful shine. Salmon is amazingly tasty baked or can be enjoyed in your favorite sushi!

Cucumbers

We’ve all seen the movies with people placing cucumbers over their eyes, but do you know why? Cucumbers help with hydration due to their high water content and will help give you clear skin. It contains anti-inflammatory agents and many antioxidants to revitalize your skin leading to clean, refreshed-looking skin. Good for a snack on the go or mix it into a salad, you’ll be cleansing your body and looking fresh in no time.

Bananas

After a meal, we sometimes feel the uncomfortableness of bloating. Rich in potassium, bananas control the cause of bloating which is sodium. Having a banana after a meal or as a snack will help your body control high sodium intake and make you feel less bloated.

Raw Vegetables

If you’re looking for a snack, we recommend going for some raw vegetables. All it takes is a quick wash, and you’ve got a snack for the go that’s high in vitamin C. These vitamins break down the bacteria that grows in your mouth and will actually prevent you from having bad breath. If eating them plain jane isn’t your forte, eat them with a delicious and healthy dip.

Kale

Feeling old and not as young as you used to? Fit some kale into your diet to benefit from the anti-aging effects of this vegetable that’s fully packed with vitamin K, vitamin A, and calcium. Not only does it have anti-aging properties, but it also helps prevent blood clots, build stronger bones, and improves your immunity.

Strawberries

Get a whiter smile by snacking on some strawberries. Delicious in a smoothie or eaten fresh, strawberries contain malic acid which breaks down the bacteria buildup on your teeth that causes discoloration. In addition, strawberries strengthen your enamel.

Quinoa

When you’re feeling down, try a bowl of quinoa. It has a significant antidepressant effect that helps turn your mood around. One tip before eating, rinse it very well before cooking to have it taste even more delicious. As the last item on the list and perfect to eat with a wide variety of foods, we recommend mixing quinoa in a bowl with a bunch of the items listed above to get you feeling extra confident.

Recipe Time

Here’s a quick and easy Buddhabowl lunch recipe that’s rich in vitamins and nutrients in case you need some inspiration.

Ingredients:

1 Handful of cherry/sliced tomatoes
1 Half of an avocado
1 Carrot
1 Handful of beets
1 Half of a lemon
1 Egg

Start by cutting your vegetables into small pieces or into thinly cut slices. Cook the egg according to your preference, whether that be hard-boiled or scrambled. Then, throw it into a bowl, mix it well, and put the egg in the center. Voila, you’ve successfully made a delicious and healthy lunch with little to no effort. Enjoy!

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Why You Shouldn’t Underestimate The Impressive Power Of Sleep

Hapday — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 18:00:00 +0000

Sleep. Some love it, and some avoid it. As trivial as it may seem, sleep shouldn't be neglected. It’s common knowledge that sleep is important, but do you really know why? Well, sleep allows the body to recover, both physically and mentally. Not to mention, it plays an important role in our health. Often neglected, sleep is much more important than you think.

How Does Sleep Work?

Sleep works in cycles. Each night, we sleep for 3 to 6 cycles of 90 to 120 minutes. Our knowledge of sleep comes from the use of a technology called polysomnography. This is a test that uses electrodes to analyze brain activity, muscle activity, and eye movements during sleep.

Through further analysis, this is what we know about sleep cycles. There is:

Slow Wave Sleep is characterized by a transition phase, a light sleep phase, and then a deeper sleep phase. Altogether, this constitutes the first cycle of your beauty sleep.

Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM) takes place shortly before waking up. It is during REM sleep that we dream.

When we are young, the Slow Wave Sleep period is much deeper and as we get older, it decreases. In general, older people have a lighter Slow Wave Sleep which in turn, creates difficulty in sleeping.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are more common than we think. They can cause difficulties in falling asleep which results in a lower quality of sleep. Types of sleep disorders include insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, or hypersomnia. Let’s take a dive into each of these disorders in detail to better understand them.

Insomnia

Insomnia is when you have difficulty falling asleep or maintaining a quality good night’s rest. It is also the phenomenon of waking up earlier than expected in the morning. Affecting approximately 33-50% of adults in the US, it’s the most common sleep disorder. Insomnia can affect all age groups, but the groups that are most prone to having it are women, the elderly, divorced or separated people, and those who have lost someone close to them. Certain personality traits can contribute to insomnia: High anxiety, perfectionism, a tendency to worry, or neuroticism are some of the few traits that are linked to it. Furthermore, it can be triggered by other disorders such as depression, mood disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. On the other hand, it can also be a factor that increases the risk of depression and anxiety. In addition, it can increase your chances of developing a drug addiction, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, asthma, immune system dysfunctions, and even increase your chances of having a car accident. According to the HUNT study, the risk of myocardial infarction is greater in individuals with chronic insomnia (between 27 and 45% greater).

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea occurs when small periods of asphyxiation (being deprived of oxygen) lasting about 10 seconds occur repeatedly throughout the night. Studies suggest that it affects at least 5% of the general population and 10% of people over 65. During sleep apnea, the effort required to breathe is greater and when this effort is increased, the person experiencing sleep apnea wakes up. Following sleep apnea is the hyperpnea phase which is breathing abnormally deeply or rapidly which also causes a person to wake up throughout the night.

Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome is when you feel the need to move your legs, arms, or in some cases, other parts of the body. It’s the angst feeling that your body can’t sit still. Affecting about 8% of the population, but mainly affecting the people in older age groups, it can often be accompanied by a tingling sensation and sometimes some pain. To relieve yourself of the symptoms of restless legs syndrome, try stretching or standing up and going for a walk.

Hypersomnia

Hypersomnia is characterized by abnormal sleepiness and a strong urge to sleep. Whether it’s day or night, this sleep disorder can catch you at any point throughout the day. In addition, you’ll most likely also experience difficulty when trying to wake up paired with a feeling of confusion.

What Happens When You Don't Get Enough Sleep?

Sleep is more than essential for your wellbeing, it is vital for your wellbeing. It plays an important role in memory, concentration, cognitive performance and many other areas. Being intimately linked with your memory and learning, we definitely suggest that you get a good night’s sleep.

Studies have shown the effectiveness of a night's sleep in strengthening memory and learning. During the night, our neurons reorganize the information we gathered through the day. It effectively categorizes them and connects things that go together. So, when a study session is followed by a sleep phase, our brain has a much easier time remembering this information, regardless of the time of day. On the other hand, having a poor night’s sleep makes memorizing more difficult due to the function of the hippocampus being impaired. The hippocampus is also the part of the brain that lets you know when you’re full from eating. Having it be slowed down from the lack of sleep will lead to overeating!

Lack of sleep also has an impact on emotional reactions. A sleep-deprived individual tends to have a negative outlook throughout his day-to-day activities. A study conducted on university students analyzed their responses to emotional stimuli. The study involved showing a series of images classified into three categories: Pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant. The students were then divided into two groups: One group was tested before and after a good night's sleep, and the other group was tested before and after a night of sleep deprivation. The results of the study revealed that the group of sleep-deprived students perceived neutral images more negatively than the group that had a full night's sleep.

According to a study conducted by Inserm and the University College London, there was found to be a link between lack of sleep and dementia. The study revealed that a night of fewer than 6 hours of sleep increases the risk of dementia by 20-30%. On the other hand, it was revealed to be a reduced risk of dementia in people that slept for at least 7 hours per night.

If that wasn’t enough, fatigue caused by lack of sleep is directly linked to road accidents. According to an article by Michael H. Bonnet and Donna L. Arand, fatigue is a factor in 57% of accidents resulting in truck driver death and in 10% of fatal car accidents.

Poor sleep quality and lack of sleep can also lead to an unhealthy diet and an increase in your food intake. Studies show that insufficient sleep has an impact on appetite hormones noting that short durations of sleep increase the risk of being overweight or obese by double.

Have we convinced you to try and get more sleep? Before you tune in to the next episode of your favorite series knowing that you’ll tell yourself “just one more”, ask yourself if it's really worth it.

Tips On Getting More Quality Sleep

First and foremost, we recommend getting an average of 8 hours of sleep per night. Children aged 6 to 13 generally need about 9-11 hours of sleep per night. Teenagers aged 13 to 17 should be sleeping for 8-10 hours. Adults should be getting 7-9 hours of sleep. As you can see, the older we get, the less sleep is required to remain rested, however, sleep time can depend on the individual. For some, more sleep is required to remain rested. So, to find out how much sleep you need, turn off your alarm clock and allow your body the freedom to choose the right time to wake up. You can carry out this test over several days, or ideally, several weeks. The best time to find out your body’s ideal sleep time is during the holidays when you can keep that alarm turned off!

In addition, we recommend giving yourself a set time to go to bed and establishing a bedtime routine. Try not to use your phone or any other electronic device for at least 30 minutes before going to bed. If you can, squeezing in some physical activity before bed, but not too close to bed, will help you fall asleep more easily. Keep your dinner time meal light to help your body with digestion, and you'll be sleeping like a baby in no time. Sleep cycles should be respected, so try your best to not wake up during your deep sleep cycles! We also recommend that you do not use screens (phone, tablet, etc.) at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Try not to do other activities on your bed because your brain will associate that activity with laying on your bed which will cause you to stay up longer. If you can, splurge a little to make your bed as comfortable as possible. Get darker curtains if the light keeps you up or even an eye mask. So, get into some comfortable clothes, jump in bed, and have yourself some quality beauty sleep!

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Walking Can Change Your Life? Feel Renewed In Your Skin Today

Hapday — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 08:00:00 +0000

It’s no secret that going to the gym can be tough. Whether you choose to wake up bright and early to get your day started off with a pump or end your day looking to give it your all after a long day at work, going to the gym is easier said than done. But, what if I told you there was an easier way to get in your daily dose of exercise? The mundane task of walking is so much more powerful than you thought with its numerous benefits, mood-enhancing power, and the ability to make you feel renewed in your own skin. Today, we’ll be going over the ways that walking can benefit your muscles, joints, immune system, mood, sleep, and confidence! What’s In It For Me?

Let’s start off with your body. Whenever someone thinks about their health and body goals, the image of the gym instantly comes to mind. But, as we all know, sometimes the thought of going to the gym can bring dread or thoughts of other fun things you’d rather be doing. Well, an underrated and absolutely overlooked way to meet your health and body goals is through something we all do every day. Walking!

Here’s a list of the benefits we’ll be talking about:

Promotes a healthy weight
Helps lose body fat
Tones your body
Curbs your cravings
Improves your immune system
Improves your sleep
Enhances your mood

For those that are focused on losing weight and getting a more toned body, walking is one of the easiest ways to maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat. What you probably didn’t know is that walking counteracts the effects of weight-gaining genes. Harvard researchers discovered that walking for about an hour a day at a brisk pace can effectively cut the effect of obesity-promoting genes in half. Furthermore, going outside for a brisk walk for 30 minutes can burn up to 200 calories all while simultaneously toning your legs and abdominal muscles.

Have a sweet tooth?

An unknown secret benefit of walking is that it’ll help you tame that pesky sweet tooth of yours. Studies from the University of Exeter found that going for a 15-minute walk can effectively curb your cravings and even reduce the number of sugary snacks that you eat in stressful situations. So many times we catch ourselves craving a snack or trying to cope with daily stress by sneaking in a treat. Next time that happens, try going for a walk!

For the readers that have been through the works and now experience joint pains, walking might just be able to alleviate your discomfort. It may seem counterintuitive to some, but several studies have found that going for a walk can protect your joints, especially your knees and hips, by lubricating and strengthening the muscles that support them. An important note to keep in mind is to wear the correct footwear while walking. Walking in shoes with poor arch support such as flats will do more damage than good, so if you don’t have a comfortable pair of shoes, go out and get some to get you started!

Cough cough. Flu season is on the way for those in the northern hemisphere as autumn and winter are closing in fast. Did you know that going for a walk for just 20 minutes a day can improve your immune system? With cold and flu season around the corner, go out for a walk for just 20 minutes a day and for at least 5 days a week. Researchers have found that those who do this take 43% fewer sick days than those who exercise only once a week or less! If you do still happen to get sick, you’ll be sick for a much shorter duration and with much milder symptoms.

Ever catch yourself looking at the ceiling and not being able to fall asleep? If you’re having trouble sleeping at night, walking has been found to help relieve insomnia. Nothing is worse than laying in bed and not being able to sleep. It makes you frustrated, annoyed, and stressed all at the same time; the worst emotions to be feeling while trying to get some beauty sleep. Next time, try going for a walk and seeing how you feel because walking will not only help your insomnia, but it’ll also lighten your mood from those frustrating emotions. When you go out for a walk, your body releases natural pain-killing endorphins and overall increases your mood. By this point, I’m sure you see the benefits of walking. Let’s piece everything together. Who’s That In The Mirror Staring Back At Me? The New You

In summary, walking helps you lose weight, tone your body, curb your cravings, ease joint pains, strengthen your immune system, improve your sleep, and increase your mood. If you can imagine your life in the present, could you squeeze in a quick walk in the morning or evening? Most likely. Now picture this: You, in the future, where you’ve met your target weight, your body is toned, you’re no longer reaching for that chocolate bar when you’re stressed, your body doesn’t ache as much, your sleep is amazing, everyone around you seems to be sick as a dog but you’re somehow still kicking around, and you seem to have endless energy throughout your joy-filled day. I don’t know about you, but to me, that seems like a renewed you! All of these benefits together promote confidence. Confidence in yourself, in your own body, and confidence that translates into other areas of your life. For some, doubt fills their mind and the lack of confidence can hold them back from achieving what they really want. Whether it’s going for that new position, taking on a new hobby, or even achieving happiness, you’ll bring your newfound confidence by shooting for the stars and chasing after what you want and what you know you can achieve.

How Do I Get Started?

It’s easier than you think to get started. The first step is to plan your routine. Get the right shoes for your long walks; shoes with proper arch support, a firm heel, and thick soles with some flexibility to make sure you're protecting your feet and joints. As mentioned before, think twice before going for a walk in flats. We all know too well the uncomfortable feeling of painful feet after a long day with the wrong shoes.

The next step is to choose your walking path. When walking outdoors, we recommend avoiding any paths that have damaged sidewalks with potholes, trees or bushes with low-hanging branches, or any uneven surfaces. We recommend going for a stroll in a park or by water; really surround yourself in nature to feel even more uplifted. Did you know that researchers have discovered that living near blue and green spaces increases an individual's happiness levels? If you live in a colder climate or if the weather isn’t ideal, consider going to your nearest shopping mall to get your daily walk in.

It’s also important to warm up and not jump into your full walking pace. Slowly get your body adjusted to the exercise, and then gradually increase your speed after 5 to 10 minutes. The end is just as important as the start, so make sure to incorporate a cool down where you decrease your walking pace for the last 5 to 10 minutes to help cool your muscles down. We also recommend stretching after the walk to help blood circulation and increase your general flexibility.

For those that want to take walking a step further, we recommend setting goals. That means setting a time duration or setting a distance target. It’s important to keep in mind that the goals you set should be realistic! Creating a realistic goal allows you to actually achieve your targets to promote motivation without killing your motivation by never actually reaching your goal. Once you’ve created your goal, track your progress. You can do this by using your phone and utilizing the health apps that are built into your phone, or you can use apps that you can download. If you’re the type to leave your phone at your desk, consider getting a watch that tracks your steps, duration, and distance. Tracking your progress and seeing how you’re improving creates inspiration and motivation to keep on walking. See if you can beat those targets. You’ll soon come to feel the difference in your energy level and that 20-minute walk will feel like a breeze.

In summary:

Plan Your Routine
Get Proper Shoes
Choose Your Path
Set Goals
Track Progress

Some final tips for everyone

If you can, invite a friend to walk with you. Conversing with them can make the walk go much faster and it’s always nice to have some company. Use the internet to your advantage and scope out some hiking trails near you to take full advantage of your surrounding areas. Or, if you prefer walking in cities, consider exploring a new city. Walking the same path every day can get boring, so don’t forget to switch up your path, change the scenery, and freshen things up to stay motivated. If nobody is available to go on a walk with you, feel free to use this time to listen to music, listen to a podcast, or enjoy the music of nature. Strap on those shoes and go for a walk!

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How Cultivating Healthy Habits Can Help To Transform Your Life

Hapday — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 21:25:38 +0000

Habit

A habit is a behavior that requires little thought or effort to carry out because you have become so accustomed to doing it. Habits tend to be automatic, uncontrolled, and almost unintentional.

For example, if you are someone who buckles your seatbelt every time you get in the car, you probably don't even think about doing it. When you put on your seatbelt, it's like you're on autopilot. This is a habit.

Healthy habits are habits that promote health and wellness in your life — like exercising, eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of sleep, and socializing with friends.

Of course, important habits don’t always have to do with your physical health. An important habit can be a beauty habit, a mental habit, a habit of manners, or even a habit you use when socializing with others. Basically, habits of health are worth cultivating.

WHAT IS A BAD HABIT?

Bad habits are just like good habits in that they are rote, and you probably hardly think about them before carrying them out.

There are many examples of bad habits, and everyone will have their own bad habits — some of which may actually be good habits or important habits for someone else!

Overall, however, bad habits are "bad" because they cause you harm — either right away or over time. Healthy people tend to have fewer bad habits, but that doesn’t mean they have none at all. It’s all about balance. One of the major bad habits we have is our inability to handle stress properly.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HEALTHY HABITS?

The problem with habits that are distinguished as "bad" is that they're difficult to break. Any habit, good or bad, can be hard to break.

If you are able to break bad habits and cultivate healthy ones, however, it can change your life for the better in a multitude of ways.

YOU’LL HAVE MORE ENERGY

Living a fit and healthy lifestyle offers its own rewards. For instance, healthy sleep habits will directly lead to less stress and fewer colds and illnesses.

Still, many people think of important habits like sleeping more, eating well-balanced meals, and exercising as time and energy suck. It’s a common misunderstanding that, when you invest in yourself by forming healthy habits, you’re unfortunately losing that time.

In fact, the opposite is true. When you start healthy eating habits, sleeping habits, and exercise habits, you’re actually giving yourself more energy! And more energy means more time and drive to do the things you love. A healthy habit keeps on giving.

YOU’LL HAVE A STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM

With a healthy immune system, you’ll get sick less often, feel happier, look better, and live longer. But like all systems in your body, your immune system needs special attention.

If you want to get healthy and develop good habits to have for a healthy immune system, start cultivating these important habits:

Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
Exercise at least five times a week
Drink alcohol in moderation
Don’t smoke
Get enough sleep
Maintain a healthy weight
Minimize stress as much as possible

IT WILL BE EASIER TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT

Whether you've always been at a healthy weight or you’ve recently lost excess weight and are now at the point of maintaining it, keeping track of your weight can be a challenge.

Here are some of the benefits you can look forward to if you can cultivate more healthy daily habits in your life.

Without a doubt, forming healthy eating habits can help you lose unwanted weight and maintain a healthy weight without having to think about it. Here is a list of habits that will help in this area:

Daily exercise. Make exercise a habit by working it into your day naturally. Walk or bike to work, if you can. Do a short digital workout right before bed. Or, schedule an online exercise yoga class for a certain day of the week. Pilates is another alternative.
More fruits and vegetables. Aim to never eat a meal or snack without at least one vegetable or fruit being included.
Drink water. Keep a water bottle with you all day. Sometimes, when you feel inclined to reach for a sugary snack, it’s not actually because you’re hungry; you may just be thirsty.

YOU MAY LIVE LONGER

According to The American Council on Exercise, walking just 30 minutes a day lowers your risk of early death.

This simple act can be easily incorporated into your routine as a healthy habit. You don’t even need to walk 30 minutes all in one go.

Instead, focus on developing good habits like parking at the back of the parking lot when you go shopping, using the stairs instead of the elevator, or taking a quick walk around the block after dinner.

If you can work these habits into your daily life, you can add up all your walking minutes, and you’ll easily get in 30 minutes or more of exercise every day.

We all wish for world peace, but world peace will never be achieved unless we first establish peace within our own minds.

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

YOUR MOOD WILL IMPROVE

There are numerous good habits to start, and one commonality between nearly all of them is an improved mood. When your life is full of healthy habits, you will feel like a happy child.

In part, this is because healthy habits (exercise, eating better, getting more sleep, etc.) promote endorphins in the brain. More endorphins (special brain chemicals) mean a happier and more contented attitude.

But healthy lifestyle habits can also improve your mindset because it feels good to carry through with a goal. When we strive to start a new habit and actually follow through, this boosts our mood and lifts our confidence.

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