Improve Your Sleep Habits
Sleep is one of those things that serves as sort of a skeleton key to unlocking every aspect to a person’s health and wellness. Odds are that if you’re not sleeping well, you’re probably not feeling your best either. A few general things that are proven to help people sleep better include cutting out exposure to light (including phones, tablets, and television) in the leadup to your bedtime and sleep, keeping your bedroom temperature cooler, eating early enough to digest your food before sleep, finding ways to relax such as meditation or listening to soothing music, and burning energy over the course of the day by exercising, walking, or playing sports.
Make Specific, Achievable Goals
One way to help achieve a goal is to clearly define it in the first place. For instance, don’t just say, “this year I want to eat healthier.” Do you want to cut certain foods out of your diet? Would you like to get more of a certain healthy nutrient like fiber or iron? Don’t just say that you want to exercise more. Come up with a specific plan and put it into motion. For example, walking thirty minutes a day, aerobic exercise four times per week for thirty minutes and resistance training two-three times per week, playing a sport of your choice three days per week and doing yoga the remainder. These are just a few examples, but whatever you choose, make it work for your lifestyle so you will stick with it.
Find Kinds of Exercise That You Actually Enjoy Doing
Exercise is important, but it’s critical to remember that it doesn’t have to be a chore. If you’re someone who struggles to find the enthusiasm or motivation to goto the gym or go for a run, we recommend finding ways to be active that you genuinely enjoy. This can take many forms. Walking, biking, playing sports, and activities like gardening. Be creative.
Schedule an Annual Wellness Visit
The last, and arguably most important, tip we have to share is making sure to start your year by scheduling an annual wellness exam. Doing so can help you gain a better understanding of the state of your physical and mental health, while also knowing which areas to focus on when it comes to improvement. In our office, annual exams include discussions of the patient’s health and goals, as well as a variety of diagnostic testing, assessment of existing medical conditions, and more.
Now is the perfect time to focus on your health and our hope is that these tips will provide readers with a great place to start their journey. For more information, or to schedule an appointment at one of our now nine Atlanta area locations, contact Family Practice Center today.
