As a society, we define a “high standard of living” by our income, the quality of our home, car, clothes, and many other materialistic goals. Unfortunately, we rarely notice the psychological costs of success.
Although there’s nothing wrong with trying to advance in life, a sense of balance is also crucial. If you live a hectic lifestyle, it’s difficult to maintain a happy and healthy one, too.
Here are a few suggestions on how you can enjoy well-being while still striving for success in life.
Exercise
Exercise can relieve pain and stress. It increases your endorphin levels, which are natural painkillers that make you feel good. Furthermore, exercise has other health benefits, such as strengthening your heart, improving your mood, and boosting your energy levels.
Unfortunately, people often want to do too much when they start a new regimen. They don’t set realistic and achievable goals. Rather than exercise every day, pick one or two days per week and stick to this schedule. By not overexerting yourself, it’s easier to stay motivated and make progress over time.
Strength training is an invaluable part of getting fitter. If you decide not to work out in a gym, you can exercise at home by learning proper form with a 15 lb technique barbell. Load it up with weight plates to perform basic exercises like standing military presses, curls, French presses, back squats, forward lunges, and stiff-legged deadlifts. If you also purchase a weight bench, you can also do bench presses, bent-arm pullovers, and bent-over rows.
Eat Right
The food you eat can have a tremendous impact on sleep, memory, weight, mood, anxiety, and more.
A healthy diet includes learning to love fruits and vegetables, as plant-based foods are rich in nutrients. What’s more, not only is a plant-based diet better for your health but for the environment and the world at large. Leading nutritionists and doctors are now urging people to eat whole foods, in moderation.
Besides eating a healthy diet, It’s also necessary to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
Sleep Well
An average person needs 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Sleep deprivation can cause mood swings, irritability, and a lack of focus. Besides these negative effects, insufficient rest also increases the risk for weight gain and diabetes.
Here are three suggestions to improve the quality of your sleep:
- Stretch before bed. Studies have shown that moderate physical activity an hour before bed can contribute to deeper, longer sleep. If you try this, you’ll be less likely to wake up during the night, and feel more refreshed when you wake up in the morning.
- Eat sleep-inducing foods or take supplements. Melatonin is a naturally-occurring hormone responsible for regulating sleep. It’s found in foods and supplements and helps maintain a healthy sleep cycle and circadian rhythm.
- Enhance environmental conditions. A cool, dark bedroom can help you sleep better. As your body temperature drops, growth hormone is released to aid in recovery. In hot weather, your body releases the stress hormone cortisol, which can make sleeping difficult.
Cultivate Close Friends
Building relationships with understanding, caring, and supportive friends will have a beneficial effect on your overall moods.
Mutual respect and honesty are the foundations of friendships. By understanding that no one can be everything you want them to be, you can build wonderful relationships. If you expect unrealistic expectations from your friends, relationships can collapse quickly.
Strike the Right Balance
While it’s fun to follow your passion and build your dreams, you must also ensure that you exercise, eat healthily, get quality sleep, and hang out with the right friends. Remember, when you’re unhealthy and stressed out, you can’t accomplish anything. You need balance.