5 Simple Habits to Make
You Healthier and Happier
Provided by American Council on Exercise
Happiness has become a
popular field of study for researchers over the last decade, and universities
are creating whole courses around the topic. Dr. Laurie Santos, a professor in
psychology and cognitive science, teaches a hugely popular course on happiness
at Yale and is a leading researcher on the science of happiness. Through her
research, she has developed science-based recommendations on how we can increase
our happiness levels. Here are five simple ways we can create happier,
healthier lives for ourselves.
1. List three things you feel grateful for every day
According to Santos, writing
down three awesome things about your day can have a significant effect on
retraining your brain to feel more gratitude and, as a result, feel happier.
Pairing this practice with another habit, such as brushing your teeth, can
enhance your awareness and make it easier to remember to do each day. Becoming
more aware of the things for which you feel grateful—even small things such as
your morning cup of coffee or a call from a friend—is a great way to help you
focus on the positives in your life rather than the things you may perceive to
be lacking.
2. Get moving
People who are physically
active for even small amounts of time each week (150 minutes or less) have
lower odds for developing depression And the options for adding activity to
your day are endless. Take your dog for a walk, for example, or go to a
playground and play on the equipment. Practice mobility drills while watching
your favorite television show. Find stairs and take them. Go for an easy swim
in a lake or work in the garden. The point is to get moving, whenever and
wherever you can.
3. Spend time in nature and unplug
The writer Anne Lamott wrote,
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few
minutes, including you.” Taking time away from technology is important,
particularly for those who feel overstimulated and fatigued by constant
notifications and work-related stress. And if you can unplug outdoors, even
better. David Strayer, a professor and cognitive psychologist, has been
researching brain-based measures in cognitive restoration and believes that
spending time in nature is important for elevating mood and reducing stress.
For example, one study of people walking through an urban green
space showed that participants’ brains exhibited lower frustration, engagement
and arousal while in the green area. So get outside without any tech. Again,
the possibilities are endless. Walk through a garden. Go hiking. Scramble up
some rocks. Run barefoot in the grass. Rent a canoe. Listen and take it all in,
allowing nature and its calming effects to wash over you.
4. Take care of others
Acts of kindness make us
happier and spending time caring for others is a great way to increase your
happiness level, says Santos. “Spending time and money on ourselves isn’t as
fulfilling as focusing your time and money on other people,” Santos explains.
“Those that volunteer more,
tend to be more on the happier side than those that do not volunteer.” Pure
altruism—the kind that you want to do rather than feel obligated to—has long-lasting
effects on happiness levels, so take some time to think about issues or causes
that speak to you and consider what simple acts you can take to help. Could you
offer to go grocery shopping for those who may be unable to leave their homes
or take dinner to someone who recently had a baby? If you love nature, consider
planting perennials for bees and butterflies. Send a friend a favorite book.
Bring in your neighbor’s garbage cans. Send a card full of encouragement to
someone who needs it, or volunteer for your favorite organization. Time spent
helping others is time well spent.
5. Meditate
So much of modern life is
geared toward getting as much done as possible, which leads to increased stress
and anxiety. Meditation is a way to use the breath to help calm the nervous
system. When you breathe properly, the diaphragm stimulates the vagus nerve,
which helps you connect to the parasympathetic system. Just 10 minutes a day can begin to change the patterns of your
brain. While starting a meditation practice can feel challenging, here are some
ideas on how to get started: Begin your day in silence, before you check your
phone for emails or texts. Find a comfortable chair or go outside and find a peaceful
spot where you can pause and bring awareness to your breath. Close your eyes
and count your breaths for 10 minutes. You can also find many useful apps that
will help guide your meditation practice, which can be particularly useful for
beginners. While learning to meditate requires discipline and practice, it
doesn’t have to require a lot of time and you don’t have to do it perfectly to
reap the benefits.
AUTHOR
Elizabeth Andrews
Elizabeth Andrews has been a
group fitness instructor and coach for 35 years, teaching and developing
exciting classes and programming, from the southeast, where she was born and
raised, to the Pacific NorthWest where she now resides. Elizabeth is an educator
for some of the best companies in the movement arena, BOSU, TRX and DVRT
Ultimate Sandbag, as well as using her gifts as a motivational speaker for
companies such as Amazon and the YMCA. Between teaching and coaching, Elizabeth
writes as a contributor for ACE.
A seasoned fitness presenter,
Elizabeth has presented at numerous industry events including, IDEA World, IDEA
West, TRX Summits, DCAC, Western States Chiropractic College, and for the YMCA
Summits. Her diverse experience working and teaching in the rehab field,
general fitness, strength and conditioning, as well as yoga, provide a
broad perspective and knowledge in movement. Her most recent accomplishment is
being a part of the Amazon Halo team that was recently announced.
Elizabeth holds many specialty
certifications, including ACSM, ACE, Animal Flow, FMS, FRC, DVFT, EBFA and has
200 hour Yoga Alliance. She is currently working towards her 300 hour with Noah
Maze. You can find Elizabeth on IG @elizabeth.s.andrews.