When it comes to your long-term health, getting into the right habits really does make all the difference. The whole point of a habit is that it is something that is very difficult to break. A lot of the time, we naturally associate the word ‘habit’ with the word ‘bad’, so taking back the word to mean something positive should be your first aim! With health and fitness, people often tend to set short-term goals. They may go on a fad diet for a few weeks or go through a sudden burst of exercise to get beach body ready. But, in reality, you are much better off focusing your energy on developing some good long-term habits. Wondering what some of these are? Well, wonder no more!

 

Eat Breakfast Every Day

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Far too many of us don’t eat breakfast in the morning, so if this is you, it is time to make a change. People who eat this morning meal tend to take in more vitamins and minerals and reduce their cholesterol count. They are also less likely to overeat during the day. There is no single ‘perfect’ breakfast that you need to eat every day, but you should be aiming for something which includes some carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat. Though this may be a tricky habit to begin with since your body won’t be used to eating in the morning, it is beneficial in the long run.

 

Get Enough Sleep

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This one sounds simple enough, but a huge number of people don’t get the sleep they need which is so important in your physical and mental health. Sleep deprivation can affect memory, learning and logical reasoning. Not only this, if you are tired, you are a lot less likely to have the motivation you need to continue exercising on a regular basis. A major issue that people are having these days is that they are continually surrounded by screens. Studies have found that if you are staring at a screen just before you go to bed, this can affect your body’s serotonin production which is the sleep hormone. Try having a no screens policy in the bedroom to see what a difference this could make.

 

Set Your Exercise Times

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Obviously, there are no guarantees when it comes to your health which is why you need to learn more about the insurance options that are available to you, but exercising on a regular basis is one of the best ways to maintain your long-term health. As we have talked about at the start, the problem comes when people don’t commit themselves to exercise on a long-term basis. That is why you should set yourself certain times of the week to exercise and stick to them as closely as possible. If you have already set aside time for yourself to work out, this will become a fixture of your schedule. If you are struggling for exercise motivation, there are plenty of ways that you can maintain it including getting a workout buddy, setting yourself goals and varying up your routines.

 

Protect Your Skin

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A lot of people don’t give their skin the attention it deserves, which is bad considering how important is is to our overall health and wellbeing. The UV rays from the sun are always a risk, so you should always wear sunscreen even on cloudy days. If you struggle to remember to put this on all the time, you should use a moisturiser with an SPF factor so it becomes a normal part of your skincare routine. Overexposure to the sun can cause sunburn, skin texture changes, dilated blood vessels and skin cancer.

 

Drink Plenty of Water (and Tea)

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Drinking plenty of water is essential to your wellbeing. If you are one of those people who often forgets, you could try keeping a refillable water bottle in your bag and set reminders on your phone telling you to drink water every couple of hours. There are so many reasons why the body needs to get enough water, but essentially, your joints need it to stay in motion, and your brain, heart, kidneys and liver need it to function properly. Rather than going for your usual cup of coffee in the morning, you could instead try drinking tea which has been shown to have a whole myriad of health properties.

 

Though there are plenty more healthy habits you could get into, this guide provides you with a good overview of some of the main ones.