5 Super Simple Things Vital To Your Health That You Can Start Right Now

In the hustle and bustle of modern times, it’s easy to forget the simple things vital to our overall health. We go through our days tired and run down, suffering aches, pains, and stresses that aren’t typical of the ordinary ‘healthy’ person. And we start to wonder: what the hell is wrong with us? Well you’ll be pleased to know that there are some very small and simple changes we can slot into our lives to start clearing those surface level issues as soon as today, and the chances are you already know all of them! Let’s clear that fog so we can once again tackle our days beaming with energy!

Keep Yourself Hydrated

We all know how important water is in our bodies. It’s pretty much utilised in every process that goes on within us, and yet, we choose to switch out this life-giving fluid for more flavourful beverages. There’s nothing wrong with the odd can of coke or a hot cup of tea, but the importance of straight-up, bare-bones, pure and simple water cannot be ignored!

Try drinking a full pint of the stuff as soon as you wake up each morning, and then continue to focus on heading to the tap whenever you feel like wetting the old whistle until it becomes a habit. You’ll find within a matter of days that your skin looks better, you feel more vibrant, and your non-boring drinks are more of a treat than a necessity. We’ve all experienced that coffee/tea trap right? You drink cup after cup after cup, never quite quenching your thirst for more than a few minutes at a time. Well that should tell us something! Start reaching for the clear stuff (no, not gin!) and enjoy deeper sleep, improved cognitive function, better digestion, and a whole wealth of other health benefits.

Though do be aware, at first you’ll be surprised about how much you need to pee! So you’ll want to keep those daily walks nice and local for a while. Speaking of which!

Aim For 10000 Steps A Day!

The benefits of walking are immeasurable when compared to most other physical activities we fill the pages of health magazines with. As human beings we desire movement, we crave it, and our bodies stiffen up if we ignore it. Movement helps everything from our digestion to the regulation of our blood and hormones, even down to the density of our bones as we age. So grab your distraction device, pop on your favourite Spotify soundtrack, and head for the hills!

Ten-thousand steps equals roughly five miles, but if you keep your phone in your pocket you’ll find a 45-60 minute walk will be more than enough to top up the steps from your hourly fridge trips. What’s more, a walk in itself can be a very meditative process, allowing our mind to work it’s way through worries, stresses, and burdens, until it’s left with nothing to do but be creative. Win-win!

Riddle Me This: What’s Something We all Love, But Can’t Get Enough Of?

Sleep, of course! Sadly enough, the vast majority of us alive right now do not get enough quality sleep hours on a regular basis. With the madness and technology of the world around us, finding some time for absolute stillness can be difficult, and even when we do switch off we can find ourselves tossing, turning, and waking often throughout the night. There’s a number of factors rolling into the reasons behind this, two of which are ruled out with the whole drink water and get out for a daily walk thing above. So hopefully you’ve got nothing to worry about there anymore ;)

That said, television, laptop, and computer screens play a massive role in distracting our sleep patterns, as does the world’s favourite drug. No not weed for God’s sake! I meant caffeine!!

For a restful night sleep, aim to be hydrated, hit your 10k steps, lay off caffeine after 2pm, and switch off your screens an hour or two before bed. Reading a book or taking a hot bath is a perfect substitute for those late night hours playing candy crush. Trust me, you’ll thank me for it once you get a few days in. Another couple tips is to make sure that your room is well ventilated, and create as much darkness as possible.

Side Note: If you have a partner that snores, it may be time to consider investing in a separate bed for the shed or something.

More Wholesome Foods

We know this. We all know this. And I’m sure we’re all as bored of it as each other. But it’s seriously important if we’re going through our days feeling sluggish and unhealthy. Shooting for a healthy and balanced diet is vital for our overall health and energy levels, and as such we should make a point of incorporating salads, vegetables, and fruit in all of our meals. Add an apple to breakfast, a salad to lunch, and make your meals more colourful. It’s not all doom and gloom, think of the awesome shots for instagram to make all your friends and family think you’re better than them.

Mindfulness Meditation For the Uninitiated

Don’t roll your eyes. Yeah, all the health nuts are advocates of this simple practice, and the rest of us can’t understand it until we get an established habit, but honestly meditation is the most simple and effective method for improving how we deal with our thoughts and feelings on a daily basis.

For those ten minutes a day we are essentially training ourselves to allow our thoughts to come and go, and rather than react or stress, stay nonjudgemental and at peace. The real world spillover of this practice is immeasurable. We are able to stay more focused, less worried, and not get wrapped up in negative thought patterns or emotional traps. There are many ways to do it, but my preferred method is to simply sit, close my eyes, and focus on my breath. Download the Headspace app for a crash course in learning, and then experiment. Establish the habit and recognise the changes in less than a month.

Want some bonus points? Make a point of thinking about three things you are grateful for each day. Don’t think of the past, don’t think of the future, just stay present and mentally jot down the little blessings of your daily life.

And the about sums it up—I dunno what else to tell ya. Incorporate these 5 simple practices into your life and feel at least a hundred times better this time next month… give or take.

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