5 daily habits to improve your sense of well-being

Some days you need a vacation, but you know you’re not going to get one, at least not a real one! Work these five things into your day and experience some of the benefits of a day off.

Get outside. Just a couple of minutes outside, in nature if you can find a little patch, morning and evening can lower levels of your stress hormones and activate the hormones that help you wake up in the morning and sleep well at night. 

Take a deep breath. When you need to calm yourself down, think about your breathing. It doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes of attentive breathing to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. Try a few rounds of box breathing: inhale for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of four, exhale for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of four, and repeat! Pair it with your couple of minutes outside or give it try while you’re waiting in line.

Get enough sleep. Easy to say, but not always easy to do. Most adults don’t get enough shut-eye. A few minutes outside, morning and evening, and some attentive breathing before bed can help you prepare your body for sleep. Keeping a consistent schedule for sleeping and waking helps, too. Working a night shift? You need to prepare a little more. A couple of hours before sleep, wear blueblocker glasses and make sure to keep the room cold and dark to mimic the evening.

Stay hydrated. Your body is about 60% water and your brain, blood, and muscles are closer to 75% water. To combat fatigue, foggy-headedness, and muscle cramps, your body needs water. The amount you need depends on your age, activity level, weather, so start with the commitment to drink at least six glasses of water per day.

Call a friend. Social connections are important to well-being. Feelings of isolation and loneliness have real impact on your health and well-being. Remember to take time to connect with those around, take care of the relationships you have, and to reach out to others who might be feeling isolated or alone. Reaching out will lift you both up.