Sleep
Getting enough sleep helps us feel better mentally and physically. General guidelines recommend adults get at least seven hours of sleep each night. It helps decrease stress, regulate the body’s internal systems, and improve mood. Grogginess and crankiness go hand in hand. Sleep also is the best stress reliever, trauma releaser, immune booster, and emotional stabilizer.
Establishing a routine to wind down for thirty minutes to an hour before bed, going to bed and rising at the same time, and sleeping in dark, cool environments can also bolster the quantity and quality of your sleep.
Sunlight
Getting sunlight first thing in the morning signals the body that it’s time to wake up; it also helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, which will, in turn, signal time to sleep later that night. Getting sunlight is the best way to absorb vitamin D, or the sunshine vitamin—long championed for improving bone and immune strength. Can also help brain function and memory.
Movement
We should be familiar with the importance of exercise. We should work resistance, mobility, and cardio into our daily routines, National guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity exercise or 70 minutes of intense exercise (think: running or cardio) each week, along with at least two days of strength training. Movement can help the brain stay strong, improve cardiovascular health, and reduce stress. Muscle mass declines as we get older so should consider as you age increasing strength and resistance training.
Nutrition
Yes, eat healthy. A diet rich in many kinds of whole foods, from fruits and vegetables to nuts, seeds, and legumes. A good gut can improve immune and brain function. Maintaining a diet rich in plants, protein, and fiber can ensure you get the right amount of food that keeps you feeling full and energetic for longer (highly-processed sugary foods can cause you to crash and get even hungrier).
Social connection
We are in a loneliness epidemic. Feeling isolated socially has health consequences comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily. Loneliness can increase the risk of developing dementia, depression, and anxiety, among other health conditions. This year, the U.S Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a national advisory warning on the health effects of loneliness. Many are calling for ways to reimagine socialization through structuring environments collaboratively and creating space for intergenerational friendships to be the bedrock of a community.
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