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Are you looking to live a healthier life? Oftentimes, the small steps you take each day can have a great impact on your overall health.

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be hard: the habits that you choose to incorporate into your day can have a tremendous impact on your quality of life. Here are 7 good habits that are easy to incorporate into your routine.

Go to Bed ½ Hour Earlier

It is generally recommended that adults get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, but as many as 1 in 3 adults do not sleep enough.¹ Many people will forgo sleep due to time management, or find themselves unable to sleep due to distractions such as a phone or TV.

Sleep is important because it promotes learning and memory in the brain. It helps you improve your focus as well as helps your body improve reaction timing. Your body will also fight off illnesses while you sleep, which helps you fight off colds, flus, and other sicknesses.²

If you want to sleep more, one good habit to have is to go to bed a half hour earlier each night. This can help you unwind after a long day and help you fall asleep on time. It’s also recommended to limit distractions and turn off your phone and television before bedtime.

Meal Plan

Planning out your meals for the week can ensure that you eat healthier and help you avoid grabbing fast food after a long day of work. If you already have food in the fridge at home, you’ll be less tempted to eat something quick and easy on the go.

Take a moment to write down a few meals that you will make this week for yourself. Think about your schedule and how much time you have, and try to cook extra food for days when you may not be able to cook something for yourself.

Meal planning is a healthy habit that can help you better manage your weight and help you plan out your week. You can check out our meal plan prep tips here.³

Drink More Water

According to an article published by The New York Post, more than half of adults don’t drink enough water. It is recommended that Americans drink 8-10 glasses a day, but only 22% of people reach this goal.⁴

Water helps your body with many different processes, from regulating temperature to aiding digestion. A lack of water can cause your heart and kidneys to work harder, which can interfere with your body’s natural processes.⁵

Make a plan to start a healthy habit of drinking more water each day. You can drink a glass of water before you eat and work to reduce the number of sugary drinks you consume. If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try adding fresh fruit to add flavor.

Eat Breakfast in the Morning

You’ve probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it’s true.

• Breakfast can help you maintain weight. According to a study by the National Weight Control Registry, those who lost 30 lbs were more likely to keep it off if they ate breakfast in the morning.⁶ One reason why breakfast controls weight is it can help curb hunger and prevent you from snacking later in the day.
• Breakfast can replenish glucose levels. Eating breakfast will replenish your body’s glucose levels, which gives your body and mind the energy it needs to power through the day. Glucose helps your body store and utilize energy for its daily functions.⁷
• Reduce health issues. Those who eat breakfast in the morning are less likely to have high blood pressure or cholesterol. Breakfast skippers are also 27% more likely to develop heart disease and 18% more likely to have a stroke.⁷

To form a healthy habit of eating breakfast in the morning, set aside 15 minutes when you get up. You can have healthy options that are quick and easy to make, such as toast, oatmeal, cereal, and eggs. Over time, you should get used to eating breakfast in the morning as it becomes a habit, and you may even feel hungry if you skip it.

Get 30 Minutes of Exercise

Another one of the habits of healthy people is exercising regularly. Exercising can help you maintain weight and build muscle, as well as help you feel better each day.

It is generally recommended to exercise at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week. Regular exercise can get your heart pumping and keep your body moving.

Some simple exercises you can make a healthy habit of doing each day include:

• Walking
• Running
• Jump rope
• Swimming
• Biking
• Meditation

Care for Your Teeth

Did you know that up to 25% of adults neglect to brush their teeth at least twice a day? Failure to brush your teeth often increases the chances of tooth decay by 33%.⁸

One good habit to have is to always take time to care for your teeth. To brush twice a day, you can make a goal to brush once in the morning and once in the evening.

Flossing is also an important part of your oral hygiene routine because floss can remove bacteria from between and under your gum line. Your gums may bleed for a few days after using floss, but over time the health of your teeth will improve as your gums get used to being cleaned regularly.

Avoid Smoking

People with healthy habits do not smoke, and for a good reason: did you know cigarette smoke can harm nearly every organ in the body? Cigarette smoke can put you at risk for heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer, all of which can impact your quality of life.⁹

With this in mind, smoking should be avoided. Many people will smoke because they feel the need to relieve stress, however, it can be a difficult habit to break because nicotine can be addicting.

If you need help quitting smoking, contact your doctor for more information. Your doctor can give you more information on your smoking habit and how it affects your quality of life.

Start Living Healthier Today

Now that you have a list of good habits to implement, you can start living a healthier lifestyle today. Try incorporating some of these easy habits into your lifestyle to start living healthier.

Saber Healthcare is an organization that provides services to more than 115 buildings across the states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Indiana, Delaware, and Florida. To learn more about our company and services, click here.

Saber Healthcare is an organization dedicated to providing consultant services to long-term care providers. This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to be seen as professional advice. Please consult with a medical expert before relying on the information provided.

Sources

1. “1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 16 February 2016. Accessed 25 October 2022. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html
2. “7 Reasons Why Getting Enough Sleep is Important.” Saber Healthcare Group. 16 August 2021. Accessed 25 October 2022. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/why-sleep-is-important
3. “12 Tips to Master Meal Prepping.” Saber Healthcare Group. 22 October 2022. Accessed 25 October 2022. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/meal-prep-tips
4. “Most adults admit they don’t drink nearly enough water every day.” NYP Holdings Inc., The New York Post. 3 September 2020. Accessed 25 October 2022. Link: https://nypost.com/2020/09/03/most-adults-dont-drink-enough-water-every-day-do-you/
5. “How Hydration Affects Health.” Saber Healthcare Group. 17 April 2022. Accessed 25 October 2022. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/how-hydration-affects-health
6. Wyatt, Holly R et al. “Long-term weight loss and breakfast in subjects in the National Weight Control Registry.” Obesity research vol. 10,2 (2002): 78-82. doi:10.1038/oby.2002.13 Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11836452/
7. “7 Ideas for a Healthier, Better Breakfast.” Saber Healthcare Group. 26 September 2022. Accessed 25 October 2022. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/how-to-eat-a-better-breakfast-in-the-morning
8. “Interesting Teeth and Dentistry Facts That Will Surprise You.” Today’s Dental. 18 June 2020. Accessed 25 October 2022. Link: https://omahadentists.net/blog/interesting-teeth-and-dentistry-facts/
9. “Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 29 October 2021. Accessed 25 October 2022. Link: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm