December 2024

Eating right, exercising regularly, and getting quality sleep can positively impact your physical and mental health. Routines can help you stick with these healthy habits. Give these three a try, and see how much better you can feel.

1. Better sleep routines

Adults should get at least seven hours of quality sleep a night, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. A good sleep routine means going to bed at the same time each night and waking up at the same time each day.

Straying from a sleep routine can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythm or sleep/wake cycle. When this happens, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Irregular sleep patterns can also increase your risk for obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol and high blood sugars, according to a study published in Diabetes Care. Every hour of variability increases your risk of metabolic disorders by up to 27%.

2. Better eating routines

A healthy eating routine is not just about what you eat but when you eat. Eat about every three to four hours, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with two snacks in between. Eating more often, rather than just three big meals a day, helps you maintain energy, keeps your blood sugar consistent, and optimizes your digestive health.

3. Better exercise routines

To prevent chronic conditions, such as heart disease, adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, most people struggle to get regular exercise.

Try scheduling exercise into your daily calendar, and set automatic reminders. To make it easier to fit exercise into busy days, aim for 30 minutes five days a week.