Healthier Habits Women Can Start Today
Healthier Habits Older Women Can Start Today
We all want to be healthier, but most of us don’t really know where to start. Taking good care of yourself can seem complicated, but picking one or two healthy habits—and sticking with them—can be a simple, effective way to make a difference to your health. Try to pick something that will easily fit into your lifestyle, and give yourself time to adjust. Big, life-changing resolutions can feel good to make, but they’re difficult or even impossible to stick to. Smaller changes, which are easier to commit to, are a far better option.
Here are a few ideas for how to make your life healthier and make these the best years of your life, courtesy of The Facial Goddess.
Get Rid of Junk
Did you know excess clutter can lead to poor mental health? When you have a bunch of mess in your house or you’re disorganized, you can wind up experiencing unnecessary stress and anxiety. If you’re stressed out long enough, it can even start to have some serious impacts on your physical health, as well. Since most people tend to accumulate stuff over the years, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t have some junk at home they don’t really need.
Downsizing and decluttering is a great way to reset the energy in your home and create a tidier, fresher environment. This can be a powerful psychological tool. A new environment—even if it’s only the old one with a facelift—can help you create new associations and habits. Don’t try to tackle your whole house at once. Instead, dedicate 20 minutes of each day to going through a room or area and identifying stuff you don’t need. If you find a big project—say, a pantry that needs to be reorganized—schedule that task on a free weekend.
Drink More Water
According to a 2019 survey by Britvic, 62% of Brits don’t drink enough water. Fatigue, headaches, dry skin, and more can all come down to chronic mild dehydration. Getting the recommended daily water intake for your weight can help you make sure your body has the H2O it needs to thrive. Keep a reusable water bottle with you and fill it up throughout the day—you’re way more likely to drink it if it’s already there.
Although you do get some of your water intake from foods and other beverages, focusing on mostly drinking regular old water is your best bet for bladder health. Many other beverages, including seltzer waters and even some teas, can act as bladder irritants, increasing urination frequency and exacerbating existing bladder issues. Make water your main drink, and turn to the others as a treat. If plain water bores you, you can use an infuser to make an at-home flavored version that will hit the spot.
Get Outside More
The pandemic has left most of us stuck in our houses, which means most of us aren’t getting nearly as much sunlight and fresh air that we really need to thrive. Getting outside doesn’t just feel nice—sunlight is the absolute best way to make sure our bodies produce enough vitamin D to be well and healthy. Vitamin D impacts your mood, energy levels, bone health, immune system, and more, so keeping your levels up will make a huge difference.
You don’t have to spend a wild amount of time outdoors to see results, either. As little as 10 minutes of sunlight a day is plenty enough to get the Vitamin D you need. You can get this by going on an outdoor walk, reading on your porch, enjoying an afternoon at a local park—anything that gets you outside and brings you joy is a perfect fit.
The great thing about these healthy habits is that they’re achievable, they’re simple, and they offer big results. Try to approach them with an attitude of consistency, not perfection, and don’t get too down on yourself if you fall out of the habit down the line. There’s nothing wrong with slipping up and then getting back on track—you’ll still have made progress along the way.