It’s never too late to start a healthier life

Often, life-changing events occur that incorporate unstimulating habits. But why not see it as an opportunity to start a new, healthier life? It’s all about installing inner peace, being organized at work, having time discipline, being physically active, and being more sociable.

Sedentarism, poor diet, apathy or lack of communication are some of the worst routines we can acquire when you spend a lot of time at home. For example, when you are teleworking, and your work occupation can be confused with your personal life. But there is no reason to get carried away, even in the most extreme circumstances.

Below, Bruno Ribeiro, PHD, Head of the Cognitive Development and Brain Stimulation Unit at SHA Wellness Clinic, offers five healthy tips to live a healthy life even when working from home. Because this can be the beginning of a better life.

1. Run away from anxiety and create a space for leisure

Now, more than ever, it is time to address mental health in one’s life. You need to start valuing everything around you and move away from the things that cause stress. And there is nothing better than adding quality leisure to routines.

“To avoid increasing anxiety when spending time at home, it is important to give yourself space to read, to talk and to do all those things that people often stop doing because of lack of time“, advises Ribeiro.

A large study published by the scientific journal Health Psychology determined how perceptions of positive social relationships are associated with increased participation in leisure activities, which, in turn, is directly related to better health in old age.

“The findings have demonstrated the complex relationships between social relations and health, highlighting the importance of leisure activities for developing future health policies and clinical interventions in older adults within the field of prevention,” he explained in his conclusions.

2. Organise a work routine

Organisation is key. In the work environment, and more so when things like teleworking are making their way in this era of telecommunications. Discipline is vital to send the right messages to the brain: when to work and when to rest.

A good work routine that includes proper organisation will help to reduce stress and, consequently, gain more time to relax and suffer less anxiety. A lack of proper stress management techniques can increase the risk of heart disease and negatively affect overall health.

Furthermore, daily routine influences the quality of rest. A satisfying workday will lead to better sleep and help clear up the damaging shadow of insomnia.

A good sleep schedule and bedtime habits affect mental acuity, performance, emotional well-being and energy level.

3. Maintain regular meal times

The body clock that each person has interacts with metabolism and digestion in a complicated way. Not only does it matter what you eat, but when you do it.

Mealtime discipline is not new. The idea that the response to food varies depending on what time of day it is eaten goes back a long way. Ancient small medicine already promulgated that energy flowed around the body in parallel with the movements of the sun and that meals should be scheduled accordingly.

A UK study of 5,000 sample people and a follow-up of over 70 years revealed that those with a more irregular eating routine were at greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, excess fat around the waist, and abnormal levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood. The bottom line: Poor meal discipline increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

4. Be physically active in the morning or afternoon

It is vital to escape from sedentarism. Now and forever. And it’s not just a physical issue, but also a mental one.

A recent study from the University of Michigan found that exercise is closely related to happiness. Physical activity may reshape the brain, for example, by boosting the creation of new brain cells or inducing changes in brain chemicals in ways that help promote positive emotions.

Another study published in The Lancet found that those who exercised regularly tended to feel bad for about 18 days a year, while less active participants felt bad for an average of 35 more days.

5. Maintain contact with family and friends through technology

Never before has there been more opportunity for contact and, at the same time, more miscommunication and loneliness. Technology must be a strong ally in these times to facilitate an emotional connection with friends and family. Not only through the voice, but also with the image.

It is essential to maintain close and quality social relationships. Even if it is through the computer, those who surround each of our lives have a decisive influence on the emotional and physical well-being of each person. This is revealed in a study by the prestigious University of Harvard that included the pursuit of an ample sample during more than 75 years. It is the most extensive research in the time that exists on the subject.

The work revealed how people who maintained fluid relationships with family and close friendships, regardless of the number, led a more harmonious and happy life than those who neglected relationships.