How to improve your health in only 30 minutes a day

Posted by Lesley Haverford on November 28th, 2018

Many of us realize that the pace of our lives leaves little room for healthy habits. However, taking care of our health is even more important precisely because the amount of stress we have to face on daily basis. Therefore, it’s vital to form healthy habits and stick to them. Still, there’s a question of how exactly do we do that with the time we have? Here are some suggestions to help you out.

1. Eat breakfast

One of the things to keep in mind is the fact that breakfast is extremely important for a healthy life. Taking only half an hour in the morning to eat something healthy can reduce your chances of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Even without these long-term benefits, you’ll feel the improvement in your day-to-day life almost immediately. Eating breakfast gives you energy when you need it the most, so you’ll feel better, stronger, and ready to take on the world.

2. Unwind before going to bed

Taking some time to relax before bed makes a world of difference in how quickly you’ll be able to fall asleep and in the quality of the sleep. It doesn’t even to be full 30 minutes. Depending on your day, even 15 minutes may be enough. Before you go to bed, turn off all things with screens – TVs, computers, tablets, even phones. Think about your day for a couple of minutes, and try to sum up all the experiences of the day. Then try to banish all thoughts from your mind. When you feel completely relaxed, you can go to bed – and you’ll sleep like a baby.

3. Meditate

There are so many benefits connected to meditation. It reduces anxiety and stress, and it even lowers your chances of memory loss down the road. It can do wonders when it comes to improving your mental health, and it is enough to do it in two takes of 15 minutes. Do it when you find yourself in a stressful situation, if you can, or immediately after. Clear your head and keep your mind blank for 15 minutes. When you go back to your tasks, you’ll see that you’re much calmer, more efficient, and more focused than before.

4. Do yoga

Yoga is a great way to relax and restore balance to your mind and body. It’s basically a combo of meditation and stretching, two of the most useful things you can do for your mind and body. You can do it at any time you prefer – early in the morning if you’re an early bird, or before bed if you’re a night owl. 30 minutes in the mornings or evenings will relax your muscles, improve your posture, and make you more focused.

5. Don’t drive to work

Walk, if your job is within walking distance. Ride a bike if it isn’t. Sure, sometimes the field will be uneven, or you may be afraid that you’ll be all sweaty when you finally get to your destination. A good electric bike should solve both of those problems. You'll be able to get to work on time, you'll put some, but not too much effort into it, and you'll be good for the environment. You won’t get stuck during the rush hour, and you’ll save some money on the gas. On top of all of that, you’ll keep in shape. Are there any downsides?

6. Go out

Just go out. Take your dog for a longer-than-usual walk, or for a run if you feel like it. Take your kids to a park and chase them around for half an hour. Go for a walk by yourself, if you need some me-time, or ask some of your friends to accompany you, if you're in the mood for some company. Take your significant other on a romantic picnic in a park, or for a romantic walk in the autumn woods. Being outside reduces stress and fatigues, it helps you fight depression and anxiety, and it helps to prevent high blood pressure and possibly even cancer. Only 30 minutes spent in nature can protect your eyesight and boost your immune system. There are many advantages to going out, so leave the laptop and grab your jacket!

7. Stretch

Stretch regularly. For every hour or so that you’ve been sitting down at your desk, take 2 or 3 minutes to stretch. It will improve your posture, and reduce the stress your muscles and joints have to put up with. It’s an easy way to improve your health and mood, and the best thing is that you feel the benefits right away!

Being a bit healthier doesn’t have to take a lot of time or to be super demanding. Slight changes to your lifestyle can make a huge difference in how you feel, so don’t hesitate to implement some of these tricks into your daily life.