How do you maintain your health?
You might think that regular checkups, a good diet, and staying active are the formula for good living. All those things are great, but there are many other ways to improve your life physically and at home.
If you are looking for ways to improve your quality of life, consider these tips that better you from head to home.
Healthcare Concerns You Shouldn’t Overlook
Poor health is a large factor in unhappy living, but many people only take the time to care for the health problems they consider “major.” The issue with that line of thinking is that minor issues, when chronic, easily turn into major health issues. That’s why it is important to be proactive about general discomforts, disorders, and illnesses.
Here are some of the main health issues that you shouldn’t ignore:
- Chronic stress
- Sleep apnea
- Back pain
- Lack of sleep
- Digestion issues
- Dental health
Chronic Stress
Stress can come from anywhere, but not all stress is created equal. Biologically, there is a benefit to feeling stress. The feeling of mental pressure can actually boost memory, energy, and speed. However, when stress builds up and refuses to dissipate, problems arise.
Over time chronic stress can cause heart disease, depression, and permanent impairments that reduce the quality of life. If you find your self unable to destress, consider talking to your doctor or seek relief through alternative solutions like meditation and yoga to maintain your health.
Sleep Apnea
Do you snore loudly and find you are still tired after a full night’s sleep? There is a chance you might suffer from sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea has different causes but the two main culprits are obstructions caused by relaxed throat muscles and misfiring signals from the brain. Unfortunately, some people suffer from both types of sleep apnea which greatly increases the disorder’s danger. Unchecked, apnea can lead to heart disease and stroke.
Those with obstruction apnea often find relief from sleeping on an incline or using a custom mouthguard. However, if you think you are suffering from sleep apnea, you should talk to your doctor about the best solutions for you.
Back Pain
Everyone experiences back pain occasionally, but ignoring consistent back pain can lead to permanent damage to the important nerves in the back. There is no need to live with back pain and let it control your life.
Consider researching chiropractic adjustment techniques that help alleviate pain and maintain your health. Other options that target the muscles in the back are heating pads, stretching techniques, and yoga. If you are having trouble finding relief from back pain, it may be time to reach out to your doctor.
Lack of Sleep
Our bodies need sleep. Even one night of bad sleep can affect a person enough to cause a devastating increase in the probability of falls and accidents. Ideally, you should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night to allow your body to rest, heal, and maintain your circadian rhythm.
Prolonged sleep deprivation increases the likelihood of developing additional health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, depression, and much more. If you believe you may be suffering from a sleep disorder, talk to a health professional about treatments and options.
Digestion Issues
Maintaining healthy digestion is key to other areas of health and wellness. Our gut is responsible for maintaining an incredibly important microbiome. Disruption of this biome can lead to issues ranging from mild discomfort to outright pain.
The first step to keeping your gut healthy is through a good diet that avoids personal food aversions. However, If you suffer from digestion issues for prolonged periods of time you may have an illness like GERD, IBS, or stomach ulcers. Getting these conditions properly medicated is important to maintain your health.
Dental Health
Sometimes we have a tendency to avoid dealing with mouth and tooth pain, often due to a fear of dentists. However, issues as small as cavities can degrade into blood infections that can threaten your life.
Studies have found that tooth pain is one of the most debilitating pains someone can experience. To have the best quality of life it is important to maintain dental health and have even the smallest issues checked out and repaired.
Consider Advancing Your Education
Often, we feel as though our quality of life is at a standstill due to lack of education. This can lead to depression and anxiety, both of which are damaging. That’s why advancing education is one way to maintain your health.
This doesn’t necessarily mean seeking out an expensive private education. You can find online courses to be certified in new skills and programs, attend a trade school, or start an entire college career from scratch.
What’s important is taking the initiative to create a foundation for advancement and improvement in your life.
Focus on Your Relationships
There is one aspect of your life that bleeds into both health and home – romantic relationships.
If you are in a longterm relationship, actively work to keep the spark alive. Here are some simple tips from relationship experts on how to improve your relationship:
- Put devices down and pay attention
- Try something new, together
- Be interdependent not codependent
- Be open to compromise
- Show affection
Improving the strength of your relationship isn’t all about romantic getaways and expensive gifts. Simply find ways to show you care and exude love in all you do.
Don’t Be Ashamed of Cosmetic Enhancements
Mainstream media has given a bad reputation to cosmetic surgery and other beauty enhancement procedures. However, science has shown that certain changes to our appearance can cause serious depression. Issues like hair loss, acne, deformations, and more can cause us to shy away from the world and live in the shadows.
If improving your appearance is something that will boost your self-esteem, there should be no issue moving forward. Do your research and find the safest route. For instance, if you are dealing with a receding hairline, research the best hair replacement professionals and don’t settle for mediocre.
Why You Should Maintain Your Home as Well as Your Body
There are a lot of techniques to maintain your health, but oftentimes we forget that nurturing our homes is equally important for our overall well being.
A safe and healthy home can greatly benefit both mental and physical health. Keeping up with the sanitation of a home can help reduce the occurrence of infectious illness like the flu, which killed more than 80,000 people in 2017.
Outside of cleanliness, there are other areas on which you should focus to make your home a happy place to maintain your health.
Home Improvement Ideas
If you feel like you maintain your health but you are still stressed at home, you may need to make a few changes. Creating a safe environment with relaxation in mind is a great way to enjoy being home. Here are a few changes to consider to turn your home into a safe, healthy, and peaceful environment.
- Hurricane Proof Windows: a great addition to improve the level of security in a home. hurricane windows are exceedingly hard to break and are impeccably watertight.
- Check for Lead-Based Paint: older houses are more likely to have lead-based paint which can leech toxic lead into your system. If your home has lead paint, consider hiring a professional to encapsulate and cover it.
- Use Safety Gates: gate barriers around the home are a fantastic way to create a safe environment for pets, children, and more.
- Paint Rooms in Cool, Relaxing Colors: choosing a color scheme that promotes serenity is great for reducing stress levels.
- Use Window Shades: controlling the level of light in a room is a great way to easily creates spaces that cater to healing and rejuvenation.
Practicing Regular Home Maintenance
You might work hard to maintain your health outside, but did you know there may be illness creators right inside your home? Mold, mildew, allergens, and pests can all cause illness in otherwise healthy individuals. One way to prevent these issues is to engage in regular maintenance. Letting the upkeep of our property fall to the wayside can lead to pest infestations, mold growth, and other health risks.
Some areas where you should perform regular maintenance are:
- Gutters: Clearing gutters regularly and ensuring they are securely attached to your home is important for avoiding water damage and mold.
- Lawns: Keeping your yard maintained and free of leaf litter and other debris keeps rodents and dangerous pests away.
- Plumbing: Regularly cleaning your sewer pipes and avoiding the disposal of non-biodegradable items through your toilets and sinks is important for avoiding expensive septic tank repair.
- HVAC: You should make it a monthly habit to clean your HVAC filters so they don’t leak dust, mold, and allergens into your home.
- Smoke and CO Detectors: Remember to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly so if you ever need them, they work properly.
The Emotional Perks of Home Decor
Your home should be a sanctuary. A place where your worries can dissipate and you can focus on healing and relaxation. That doesn’t mean you have to own a mansion or have a plethora of expendable income; you can create a refuge at home with just a few small changes.
Reduce Intrusive Noise
Try lowering the volume on televisions or radios. Create a quiet place where you are clear to think and focus. If you live in a busy area where silence isn’t an option, opt for a white noise machine or search white noise videos online.
Focus on Nature
Utilize your outdoor space in a way that brings you joy. This might mean setting up a chair and patio umbrella, or it could be inundating your yard with whimsical statues and lawn decor.
The most important thing is to keep the area clean and safe so you can enjoy yourself. For the quick organization of your unsightly yard appliances, try searching for cheap garden sheds online or at your local home improvement store.
Choose Lighting Wisely
We aren’t all lucky enough to have a living space with great natural lighting, but modern light bulbs do a great job of emulating the effects of warm, subtle light.
When purchasing lights, check the box for the light color and affects. Warm light is intended to create a feeling of ease and relaxation whereas cool lights are brighter and more intense.
Buy Decor That Makes You Happy
What do you love to look at? Which scents bring you happiness?
Focus your home decor on the details that speak to your interests and vibes, and forget about current trends and fashions. When you walk into your home it should feel like an extension of your personality, beliefs, and loves.
Reduce Clutter
Avoiding clutter is a great way to bring order and peace to a space. If you have limited storage space, consider implementing creative storage through the use of decorative baskets, shelves, buckets, ottomans, and more.
Plan for The Future
Even if you work hard to maintain your health, there is a chance you will require additional assistance in your older years. But stressing over the future and what you will do when you are too old to care for yourself is needless. If you take the time to plan for the future now, you can avoid wasting worry on it later.
Here are some tips for effective future planning:
- Research: It is important to get an idea of the facilities available and the options you will have when the time comes. Speak to a health care attorney to learn about the rights you will have in future so you know that to expect from different assisted living/ healthcare options.
- Begin Saving Now: If you haven’t started saving money for retirement and future planning, now is the time to do so. Medicare tends to have limited coverage for assisted living facilities, so a good retirement fund is necessary for stress-free living.
- Create a Living Will: A living will provides information to others in the event that your end of life is nearing. Having the knowledge that your wishes will be adhered to can provide you with great peace of mind.
Stay Healthy and Happy
There are a lot of good reasons to maintain your health, but having a fantastic quality of life is one of the most important. You should be able to enjoy living and wake up excited for each new day. If there is anything that is preventing that for you, it is okay to use available health care services to make your life easier.
Whether you have some health issues to work out or just need to make your house a little homier, we hope this guide helps you to live your best life.
