We all know that we should live a healthy lifestyle and the things we should do to maintain it, but nowadays work and school commitments make it difficult to do. It didn’t used to be like that did it?
In the fast-paced life that most of us live today we all know that we should take care of our health to counteract the effects of pollution, the plastics that can be ingested the food we eat, the long working hours and many hours that school homework and studying take up, but sticking to the plans that we make is not all that easy.
We know that we should eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, get enough sleep, don’t smoke, only drink alcohol in moderation and drink plenty of water. Then why do so many of us think we have healthy habits only to realise that actually our lifestyles are not healthy at all?
I, for instance, know my lifestyle used to be pretty healthy, I am a vegetarian, never eat fast food, but I do love a packet of crisps and a bar of chocolate, I don’t smoke, drink alcohol or soft drinks, I don’t drink water either but lots of green tea and a couple of coffees a day. Until a few years ago I used to swim for an hour and run or go to the gym for two to three hours every day although I have never had a healthy sleeping pattern. But now!
What happened? Life happened, that’s what!
I am still a vegetarian, I still don’t smoke, drink alcohol or water but my exercising has gone right out of the window, except for walking almost everywhere and I know my sleeping habits have become even worse.
I often wonder what I can do to get back into the sport activities that I love and feel that euphoria of exercising with the endorphins kicking in, but to do that I would have to cut back on the little sleep I do get -so it is a major dilemma.
According to the BBC website about exercise, if joints and muscles are to be kept in good, working order they need regular exercise. If you stop walking, they’ll stop working. Exercise also helps you maintain a healthy attitude to problems and mental pressures.
We know all this, but so many people spend so much time on their computers and phones outside of working or studying that exercising and sleep suffer and also brings on a whole new slew of problems.
According to the Holland&Barrett website, too much screen time can potentially cause eye pain, neck and shoulder stiffness, sleep deprivation, increased insulin levels and build-up of fat in the bloodstream.
In addition to this, one study found that limiting screen time (outside of work [and studying]) to just 30 minutes a day significantly improved your well-being.
So how do you change these bad habits for good habits? I know what I have to do but actually putting my plan into action to have a better sleeping pattern, (eight hours a night would be heaven with my lifestyle) and getting back in the pool or gym a pipe dream at the moment. As I said at the start life gets in the way.
Don’t let it happen to you… a work life balance is extremely important to maintain the healthy habits you adopt.
As Mahatma Gandhi (the Indian leader who fought for the independence of India through a non-violent revolution) said, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
