The life of an entrepreneur is not an easy one. When it comes to our health, drastic life changes are really difficult to implement and even harder to sustain. However, it’s the small changes we adopt, maintain, and love that can make a meaningful long-term difference.
For instance, there are a number of medicines a physician will prescribe to treat symptoms of an underlying illness. Interestingly enough science has proven that we can prevent many maladies with the right nutrients.
For instance, Cod liver oil is a nutrient-dense source of essential vitamins including vitamin D, vitamin A, and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. It’s also used to treat depression, lower blood pressure (which is undoubtedly linked to stress) and much more.
If you’re ready to upgrade your health one day at a time, here’s a look at five small hacks that can make a big difference.
1. Start your day with lemon water
Begin every morning with a glass of fresh lemon water. One cup of fresh lemon juice provides 187 percent of your daily recommended serving of vitamin C. Moreover, it is a great detox drink, aids in digestion, and boosts energy as it fights against inflammation. And don’t forget to store your lemons in a sealed plastic bag to keep them fresh much longer than leaving them at room temperature. For such a simple drink, the health benefits are impressive.
2. Earn your daily shower
We’re all familiar with the benefit of daily exercise, but there are days when we feel there’s no time left to get moving. If you’ve been meaning to workout later in the day, but find it hard to commit – create a healthy habit loop.
In his book, The Power of Habit, author Charles Duhigg suggests that all habits follow what is called The Habit Loop. Habits consist of a) a trigger: the event that starts the habit; a routine: the behavior that you perform, the habit itself; and c) a reward: the benefit associated with the behavior.
If you want to improve your odds of sticking to a workout routine, tie it to a motivating reward … like a morning shower. Sweat it out (routine) before taking a shower (reward). Not only will you feel more refreshed after a good sweat session, you’ll burn body fat more efficiently through the day.
3. Meditate
Meditation is an exercise for your brain like yoga, running, or kick-boxing is an exercise for your body. You activate different areas of your brain, creating different quality brain waves for longer periods of time, and the results include more than just a good looking brain; you get a balanced mental and emotional state.
Start by meditating 5 minutes each morning. This small addition to your mornings can pay off in a big way. People who meditate report a reduction in stress, improved concentration and increased relaxation, optimism and awareness.
4. Take a stretch break
Stretching is good for your body and even your business. Stretching helps keep your muscles from getting tight, which can help with your posture; and good body posture exhibits confidence. As we all know, confidence is an essential key to daily success. Meanwhile, if you woke up feeling stressed, stretching will relax tight muscles. Commit to five minutes in the morning and fall in love with the results.
5. Sleep well and wake better (with an app)
Sleep quality and quantity matters, both for your health and your productivity. If you know your sleep routine is not where it needs to be, consider using an app to improve it.
For example, Sleep Cycle tracks and analyzes your sleep patterns. Choose your wake up time, and the app will gently stir you from your slumber during your lightest phase of sleep to ensure that you wake up feeling rested, refreshed, and ready for the day ahead.
Small things over time can make a big difference in our lives. Which small habits in your morning routine gets you ready to tackle the day?
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