The power of simple habits to change your life

Many people believe that to improve their health and have a better quality of life it is necessary to radically change. But this is nothing more than a big myth! If your goal is to lose weight, start exercising, stay more focused, be less stressed, wake up earlier or make any changes to your routine, the way is to acquire simple habits.

Sunbathing, drinking more water and swapping your cell phone for a book before bed seem unimportant, but the truth is that these practices can be very powerful. Look How some basic changes in everyday life can change your life!

The power of simple habits

Changing doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Therefore, there is no point in implementing radical habits into your routine to achieve a significant change, on the contrary.

Anyone who has tried to lose weight through a radical diet knows this well. At first it seems easy – and even delicious – to completely change your eating habits. But overall, this change only lasts a few weeks.

According to doctor and psychotherapist Cristiane Marino, this happens because the brain and body do not deal well with sudden and imposed changes.

“Every radical change suddenly imposed on our body generates immediate resistance. Unconsciously, over time, we end up boycotting that habit that we began to follow with all our excitement. And then, little by little, we put this change aside”, explains the doctor.

Therefore, she advises that habits be introduced into the routine very gently, so that it does not generate resistance or boycott.

In the book Women Who Run With the Wolvesauthor Clarissa Pinkola Estés wrote the following: “Big changes are the cumulative result of minimal adjustments.”

In other words, there is no point in wanting to reset brain programming, which has been accustomed for decades to the same type of situation, from one day to the next, with an abrupt imposition.

Therefore, the best way to achieve that much-desired change in life is to opt for simple habits. A change here, another adjustment there and before you know it, the transformation happened naturally and is already part of the routine.

Read more: Simple and creative habits for your daily life

Simple habits that change your life

1- Get 20 minutes of sun every day

A daily sunbath in the morning can transform physical and mental health and even improve the quality of sleep.

According to Cristiane, being exposed to the sun for 20 minutes every day helps to increase and maintain vitamin D levels, which help with bone health, the integrity of the immune system and the production of neurotransmitters, which are fundamental for feeling well. -being, thus improving mental health.

Furthermore, the doctor states that “The brightness of the sun in the eyes stimulates the retina and reduces insomnia”.

But it is important to emphasize that, if sunbathing exceeds 20 minutes, it is necessary to use sunscreen and sunglasses. Furthermore, the ideal is to expose yourself to sunlight in the morning, when UV rays are not yet as strong.

2- Reduce the use of screens

The advancement of technology has brought many facilities and benefits to society, but the abusive use of screens can be harmful to health.

Spending a lot of time in front of the TV, computer, tablet or cell phone can trigger emotional illnesses.

A study by the Federal University of Minas Gerais concluded that children, teenagers and adults who spend a lot of time on cell phones and computers are more likely to develop depression and anxiety. Furthermore, the research pointed out,It is unexpectedly, the presence of nomophobia (fear of being away from the cell phone) in the elderly.

Therefore, the ideal is to know how to balance the use of screens. With today’s life, it’s practically impossible to stay away from them, but try swapping your cell phone, computer or TV for a book, a conversation, a game or some type of exercise.

And it’s not just mental health that excessive screen use has consequences for. They can also harm your sleep routine, as they are a brain stimulant. For this reason, it is best not to use your cell phone before bed.

“The ideal is to avoid any type of screen two hours before bed, as the light they emit stimulates the brain, which reduces the production of melatonin (sleep hormone), generating sleep disorders, such as insomnia”, he warns. the psychotherapist.

According to Cristiane, before going to sleep, the ideal is to read lightly, listen to soft music and take a warm bath to relax and have a peaceful and restful night’s sleep.

Know more: How to avoid screen addiction in a hyperconnected world

3- Drink water

Drinking water is extremely important and let’s agree that it is a habit that can be easily inserted into your routine. The human body does not produce water, so it needs to be ingested regularly.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the recommended amount ingested daily varies according to fluid loss, physical activity, age, gender, temperature and pregnancy.

In any case, the WHO indicates that the average consumption of drinking water per day for adults is 2 liters.

In addition to keeping the body hydrated, water is responsible for transporting nutrients to cells. Therefore, the recommended intake combats the accumulation of toxins in the body, reducing tiredness and fatigue, which provides a greater feeling of well-being.

4- Practice an exercise

If you are part of the team that thinks that exercising is only for losing weight or maintaining weight, know that this thinking is outdated!

In addition to improving cardiovascular health, increasing physical strength and stamina, the habit of moving brings a series of benefits.

According to the WHO, exercising promotes a biological change in the body, which increases the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. And these substances contribute to:

• Decreased anxiety;
• Prevention of symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder;
• Improves the functioning of the central nervous system.

5- Sleep earlier

If your alarm clock has been ringing at 7:30 every day for some time now, and yet your body still hasn’t gotten used to waking up at that time, it’s because you’re going down the wrong path. The secret to waking up early naturally is to create a sleep routine.

According to Cristiane, the highest quality sleep, the one that improves the functioning of the body, is between 10pm and 3am.

“During this period is when the nervous system and toxins in our body are cleaned, in addition to the production of certain substances that are fundamental to our health and well-being.”

Likewise, cortisol, the hormone responsible for keeping humans more alert to face everyday life, begins to increase its secretion between 7 am and 7:30 am.

However, its production is linked to rest between 10pm and 3am. Therefore, if the individual does not get a good rest during this period, cortisol production becomes slower. Consequently, the wake-up time will be later.

For this reason, anyone who goes to bed very late, even if they sleep more than 8 hours a night, will feel tired the next day.

According to the doctor, it is not necessary to sleep at 10pm sharp, but the more sleep you get between 10pm and 3am, the better the next day will be and the greater the likelihood of waking up earlier.

“If a person goes to sleep before midnight, they will be resting at a time that is very close to the organs’ natural operating hours, so, naturally, they will wake up earlier and with more vigor”, says Cristiane.

How not to get discouraged when we get out of routine

Firstly, it is important to keep in mind that there is no such thing as perfection. Sometimes it won’t be possible to maintain a habit every day, but the important thing is to persist.

“There are days that are difficult and we are unable to do what we set out to do or what we would like to do. This is part of life. Therefore, it is important to be patient with yourself and not give up, even if there is a small setback”, advises Cristiane.

Furthermore, during the process of introducing new habits into your routine, it is also essential to look at yourself with love and compassion, without judgment or criticism, because this type of behavior takes away patience and persistence.

This way, start making changes gradually. Nothing can be too radical, because it doesn’t last.

So, if you want to improve or modify your lifestyle, but you have a very busy routine, stop and look at what small habit you can incorporate into your daily life and remember: the etymology of the word discipline is to lead with love.

In other words, experience the process of change with the discipline of always looking at yourself with love, respect, admiration and, above all, empathy.

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