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Lifestyle Modification-Things To Consider For A Healthy Life

Ms. Neha Dey

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Lifestyle is a way of the daily functioning of individuals and groups. It includes our everyday activities, habits, and behavior. It plays a vital role in our physical and mental health. According to the World Health Organization, more than 50% of our health problems are related to the kind of lifestyle we have. So, what is this lifestyle modification?

Lifestyle modification is simply adapting to healthier choices and saying ‘NO’ to unhealthy choices. The pillars of lifestyle modification can be defined as ‘SDE’ (which is sleep, diet, and exercise) These pillars impact our physical and mental health majorly by striking a balance and resulting in ‘healthy living’

Sleep:

Sleep is the most important pillar of lifestyle modification as sleep is directly related to your mental health, it also supports the other two pillars of diet and exercise. We all are aware that quality sleep is very important for our health, though sleeping issues like lack of sleep, sleep disturbances, etc are very commonly visible with more than 50% of the population which is a result of today’s fast-moving life and odd habits. We have to understand that sleep is essential for our daily adequate functioning, it encourages our cognitive skills, prevents the risk of multiple heart-related diseases and psychological conditions. Maintaining good sleep hygiene can help us deal with our sleep issues, and also promotes healthy sleeping. There are a few steps we can take at our own level to organize our sleeping routine.

Here are some to-do’s for you to remember

(1) Following a sleeping routine of 7-8 hours, you can also maintain a sleep log to track your sleep.

(2) Have a fixed sleep-wake schedule; set a particular time to go to bed and wake up.

(3) Make a comfortable sleeping environment by using comfortable cushions, dark rooms ( if not comfortable, opt for dark dim lights).

(4) Avoid gadgets like phones, laptops, note pads, etc. before bedtime as they emit blue light which can interfere with your sleep.

(5) Practicing some relaxation techniques like breathing exercises or meditation daily for 5-10 minutes before sleep can help us to remain calm and relieve tension and have a thought-free sleep.

(6) You can also take a warm water bath and have a cup of chamomile tea before your bedtime to help a healthy sleeping.

Diet:

“We are what we eat” absolutely fits in the box. Our diet is not just a reflection of our physical health but it also shows how we feel and think. It also provides all the necessities to our body to function daily- such as vitamins, proteins, iron, fibers, etc. Several studies show intake of a balanced diet which includes the Green’s and plenty of healthy fluids, helps control symptoms for several mental health conditions like stress, anxiety, and depression too. Your body functions on the principles of nature as you have a stronger metabolism during the day you can go for a rich and filling breakfast and lunch which includes proteins and fibers, and have a light soothing dinner. While it’s important to add certain foods to your diet, it is also important to limit a few things like excessive caffeine and junk or fast food which is popularly consumed. For disciplining our diet we can start taking a few steps at our own level.

Here are some to-do’s for you to remember,

(1) Make a realistic diet plan for yourself that works for you.

(2) Stay hydrated, have at least 3-4 liters of water.

(3) Eat at regular intervals.

(4) Do not skip meals.

(5) Practice portion control, for example, measure your food, use smaller plates or bowls, drink water prior to meals, and set an eating duration to eat slowly.

(6) You can follow a 3-2-1 ratio for your everyday meals where you eat 3 parts of your meal for breakfast, 2 parts of your meal for lunch, and 1 part of your meal for dinner.

(7) If you fail to maintain a sustainable diet, you can always take advice from a dietician.

Exercise:

Did you know exercising every day can have a great impact not just on your physical health but also on your mental health? A daily 20 minutes workout can bring a positive effect on mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, stress, memory issues, sleep-related concerns and encourage our overall mental health. There is no compulsion to follow a particular way of exercising like gyming or weightlifting. We can choose our own way of working out. There are different ways of working out like yoga, dancing, walking, pilates and even taking the staircase every day while heading outside or while coming back home from the office can be a great workout. Inactivity can not just give us those extra kilos but also affect us in multiple ways like our sleep, hunger, mood, memory, etc. Hence exercise is an important component of lifestyle modification.

Here are some to-do’s for you to remember

(1) Try to include at least 20-30 minutes of workout in your daily routine. You can choose your own style of exercise like yoga, gym, walking, dancing, pilates, etc.

(2) Try to walk for the walking distances instead of taking a ride. You can also opt for brisk walking on days when you don’t get a chance to work out to keep your body active.

(3) Engage and take care of household chores by yourself whenever possible instead of depending on family members.

(4) If you wish you can always take additional support from videos and physical trainers.

Here are some additional things that can be added to your routine to improve the quality of your lifestyle:

(1) Try to spend some time during the daytime in the sunlight, sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of a hormone called serotonin. Serotonin is associated with boosting mood and helping a person feel calm and focused.

(2) Take breaks in between activities, as it is said: “too much of nothing is good”. It is important to take some breaks in between your work to break the monotony of daily chores and activities.

(3) Try to add some soothing activities like painting, gardening, and singing to your everyday routine. At night, preferably have a wind-down routine when you end your day with some calming activities such as journaling and reading a book.

Here are some don’ts for you to keep in mind as well:

(1) Try to limit or avoid smoking, which has adverse effects on our memory, heart, and lungs.

(2) Avoid/limit consumption of alcohol and caffeine products like tea and coffee which can affect our sleep and mood.

(3) Avoid/ limit binge-watching and eating habits to practice a disciplined routine.

Conclusion:

Our lifestyle choice plays an important role in positively affecting clinical and psychiatric conditions and their associated morbidity and mortality. eating healthy food, regularly working out, cessation of smoking, avoidance of alcohol and illicit substances can do wonders, adopting a healthy lifestyle can help not just in preventing illness but also helps to have a smooth daily functioning.

Take a step towards a healthy lifestyle today!

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Written by

Ms. Neha Dey

Neha Dey, has completed her education in Psychology, currently works with MFine as a consultant psychologist, she has been practicing psychology for the past two years in a corporate and clinical setup, her areas of interest are de-addiction counseling, working with children, and adult population having a neurotypical condition, she prefers using behavioural modification therapy BMT as her approach to psychology.

Lifestyle Modification-Things To Consider For A Healthy Life

Sleep:

Diet:

Exercise:

Conclusion:

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