Whether you’re 18 or 81, developing routines to promote healthy aging now can benefit you in the long run. Begin your journey to better health and well-being by incorporating these two daily habits into your routine.
Move More
With a busy schedule, finding time to exercise often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. However, participating in daily movement is an important aspect of healthy aging. Especially since between the ages of 30 and 60 most people lose about 15% of their baseline muscle mass.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults participate in 150 minutes of activity that gets their heart beating faster each week. Activities could include anything from going on a bike ride to shooting hoops or taking a brisk walk. Start small if you don’t think you can find the time. Partaking in just 12 minutes of an activity a day can make a huge difference to your overall health and well-being.
Exercising every day will help you live longer and maintain good health during your lifespan. Don’t be intimidated by a lofty expectation – set an achievable daily goal and stick with it.
Sleep More
Sleeping more sounds easy in theory, but as we grow older and responsibilities increase, getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night becomes increasingly difficult. It’s important to remember that without an adequate amount of sleep, our bodies will not be able to get the tasks at hand done efficiently and effectively. Sometimes the best thing you can do is lay the work to rest until tomorrow and go to bed.
Sleep is like a reset for your body. While sleeping, your blood pressure and heart rate decrease, blood sugar is regulated and stress diminishes. This helps your body fuel up and prepare for the day to come.
If you’re successful in making it to bed on time but are having trouble falling asleep, don’t sweat it. Even resting in bed has its benefits. However, if you are consistently having trouble sleeping, there could be underlying health issues or stressors in your life. Talk to your primary care provider so they can help get you back to sleeping easy.
Both movement and rest have their place in a healthy lifestyle. The key is finding the balance between the two and implementing both in your daily life.
