Advancing Wellness

Dec 11, 20182 min read

Healthy Habits People Swear Improved Their Lives

1. Make your bed each morning before leaving the house.

📷@inbedstore / Via instagram.com"I used to think this was pointless but now I love waking up and making my bed. It’s a great way to start the day and my life feels less cluttered and more organized because of it." —lizzy62442

2. Track how much water you're drinking and set daily goals to stay hydrated.

📷buzzfeed.com / Via My Water"I notice a huge difference in how I feel when I drink more water throughout the day and it’s so easy to plug it all in, since I’m already on my phone a lot. My mood is better, I feel lighter, and I don’t find myself craving things as much. The app is called MyWater, but there also so many other great apps to track your intake." —ellenf4be211e41

3. Put a ban on reading posts and social media comments that will only make you angry.

📷Universal Pictures / Via giphy.com"I finally stopped 'hate reading' posts from people who make misogynistic, xenophobic, or otherwise ridiculous comments. I used to read them just to get a laugh but I made a resolution to stop in January, and I actually feel lighter." —hannahmcabee

4. Eat oatmeal for breakfast every single morning.

📷@leavethepeelon / Via instagram.com"It sounds dumb, but it keeps me ~regular~ and I stay full until lunch! Plus, there are so many ways to mix it up so you never get bored. I use plain oatmeal and love to add different frozen fruits to it." —kristyn05

5. Find workout videos on YouTube and turn your living room into your very own home gym.

📷@goal_digger0102 / Via instagram.com"There's an endless amount of workout videos on YouTube, from high intensity training to yoga, all of which I can do in the comfort of my own home. There's no worrying about being judged or giving all my money to a gym. I can always fit it into my schedule when I get to choose the time of day and the length of my workout!" —sydneyb44e9f9d2e

6. Adopt a minimalist outlook and de-clutter your wardrobe, home, and mind.

📷@bypine / Via instagram.com"I was struggling with stress and anxiety, which was affecting my sleep, eating habits, and health. By getting rid of things I don’t need, not buying anything that doesn’t have a use, and clearing mental and physical clutter, I've had less anxiety and stress, better sleep, and I have more money to travel, which is the thing that makes me happiest." —allyt4c49a43a5

7. Practice Iyengar yoga in a studio or at home.

📷@cristianeestevesyoga / Via instagram.com"I've been attending classes and practicing at home about nine months now. This practice has helped with my anxiety and depression, not to mention better sleep and better sex. It has taught me to detach from the outcome and to be in the pose and in the moment. I really wish I'd taken it up five years ago. I can't recommend it highly enough!" —katem4aa58ae4e

8. See a therapist if you feel your mental health slipping or just need to talk to someone.

📷HBO / Via giphy.com"Contrary to the stigma, it’s actually a huge help in maintaining sanity in life." —hannahh495fa4bff

9. Try a HIIT (high intensity interval training) class for a serious workout that will leave you sweating.

📷@lh_transformations / Via instagram.com"Hands down the best 100 minutes of my week. In just eight weeks I lost ten pounds of fat, gained pounds of muscle, and lost eight inches overall. It's the only exercise I do and has helped to regulate my blood sugar, greatly increased my mood and my sleep regularity, and I have more energy to play with my dog more!" —corellaw

10. Try taking a reusable water bottle everywhere you go.

📷http://@livezero.hk / Via instagram.com"I've started taking a reusable water bottle everywhere I go — even out to eat — and it's changed everything. Not only am I well hydrated and saving plastic, but the change helped me completely cut out caffeine from my diet. I honestly feel healthier and more energized than ever before!" —hollyb31

11. Try to get out of bed half an hour earlier than usual.

📷Paramount Pictures / Via giphy.com"I’m currently in college and typically spend my days rushing between classes, clubs, and everything else. For the past year I’ve made a point to get up a half hour earlier than I normally would so I can brew a pot of coffee and take that half hour to wake up. It makes me start my mornings on a better foot because I have time to wake up and no longer feel rushed." —annab4b53804cc

12. Go to the dentist regularly and floss at least once a day.

📷@beyonce / Via instagram.com"This is absolutely basic common knowledge, but I went six years without going to the dentist and only flossing when I had something stuck in my teeth. Now I’m on the other side of it all — three surgeries for severe gum disease, and can’t believe I was so dumb for not having the most basic habits." —h2h2h2

13. Write in a journal every day, recording your thoughts in a stream of consciousness.

📷@growuponpurpose / Via instagram.com"I have depression and anxiety, and my therapist recommended this to me. When I'm anxious about something and start writing about it, it slows down my thinking and I’m able to process my thoughts. Sometimes this even helps me realize that some of my worries are irrational, or that problems aren’t as big as I’ve made them." —mjb7

14. Or try bullet journaling to feel more organized, thoughtful, and well, like a functioning adult.

📷@plannerbynature / Via instagram.com"I started bullet journalling in June of 2016. I was just beginning to have a grasp on my depression, and how to be a functioning adult in spite of it, and my bullet journal amplified the tools I learned in therapy. What drew me to the practice was that it was completely self-made — the most important takeaway was that if it continued to serve you, you were doing it right. The freedom in not having to fit in to the norm made it so therapeutic. I'm more confident in giving my time away because I can organize moments for myself. There's always a safe space for my thoughts. I'm able to write down the swirling to do list in my head so I can sleep. My whole life is in my journal." —ginalynm

15. Do a set number of push-ups every day and feel yourself grow stronger.

📷NBA / Via giphy.com"I do eight push-ups a day because 10 is too intimidating. I still work out and walk my dog five miles a day but if I didn’t have my push-ups I’d never be able to open a bottled beverage." —olivial4e0e08129

16. Give yourself a designated bedtime and wake time that you stick to as much as possible.

📷Apple"I'm in school full-time and work really long hours during the weekend, and having a routine at night with a set bedtime has made such a huge difference in my quality of sleep. Having a good routine in the morning also just sets my day off in such a smooth way that it makes my morning less stressful." —a4ffc516b2 If you need some extra help setting your sleep and rise times — and own an iPhone — the Bedtime function (shown above) can be super useful.

17. Spend a little time each day meditating.

📷Stories / Via youtube.com"I always kind of scoffed at meditation, but then I started using the Headspace app before bed. It has really helped me deal with my anxiety and depression, which always seem amplified when I'm trying to sleep. I don't know what chemicals meditation releases in the brain, but it's better than any drug I've ever tried." —reprobatemu13

18. When possible, walk instead of driving or catching public transit, even if it's just for a few minutes.

📷@lookdowntotheground / Via instagram.com"Because I live in a city, it's actually easier to walk places instead of driving. I lost 25 pounds; saved a ton of money on parking, gas, and bus fare; and listened to 10 audiobooks in a year, while also getting places I needed to be." —leahr4503755f2

19. Every night, lay out your outfit for the following day, along with everything else you'll need to leave the house with.

📷@justusajeans / Via instagram.com"I really committed to a New Year's resolution this year after many failed attempts and now I have one that has transformed me. I need to wake up early each day for school, so every night before bed, I lay out my outfit, things I need to bring to school, things I need for the morning, and other outfits, like workout clothes. It's such a simple thing, but it has made a morning person out of a previous morning terror!" —gmacmhd

20. Put on sunscreen, or a moisturizer with SPF, every morning before leaving the house.

📷TV Land / Via giphy.com"It is so vital to protect your skin! I wish I had started my skincare routine and taking care of my skin earlier." —ashleyz464d0d7d0

21. Find new go-to drinks that could replace soda, if you'd like to cut down your consumption.

📷@living_natures_intention / Via instagram.com"This year I decided to cut out soda (yes, even diet soda) and honestly I’ve never felt better. I bloat less and I taste other things better. I recently had soda again and it tastes like sugary syrup and it was so terrible I couldn’t finish it. Sour foods like pickles helped me satisfy my cravings, plus lemon water or La Croix." —samd42fb6ab89