Healthy living is a wide-ranging term, but it generally refers to your daily habits that affect your health. Choosing to exercise regularly, eat well and manage stress can lead to better overall health.

Taking small steps to improve your lifestyle is often the best way to start making changes that you can stick with over time. Some of the key benefits of healthy living include:

Longevity

While genes and advances in science and medicine have a lot to do with how long you live, it’s also true that healthy habits can help. Research has linked several factors to longevity, including regular exercise, a vegetarian diet and avoidance of tobacco and alcohol.

Having good spiritual, family and social networks is also tied to a longer life, as well as getting a good night’s sleep. The last factor is especially important as studies show that people who get poor sleep are more likely to die earlier.

Regular, moderate activity — such as brisk walking — has been linked to an increased life expectancy of up to seven years compared to those who don’t exercise. That’s because it lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. You may be able to boost your fitness level by taking up a sport or joining a group like a hiking or gardening club.

It’s worth noting that the study analyzed eight lifestyle behaviors and found those who participated in all of them saw the biggest impact on longevity. That said, sticking with a healthful routine can be difficult at times. That’s why it helps to find a friend or family member who can support you during moments when you feel like quitting.

Better Mental Health

Good mental health is more than the absence of mental illness; it’s a state of wellbeing that involves feeling happy, confident and hopeful about life. It’s also about feeling connected to others, having a sense of purpose and being resilient in the face of challenges.

Nurturing your mental health is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle, especially if you have a condition that’s worsened by stress, such as heart disease. You can do this by practicing healthier coping mechanisms and seeking professional help, such as talk therapy.

A healthy lifestyle includes anything you do to protect your physical, emotional and spiritual health. This might include eating a nutritious diet, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly. It can also involve staying away from unhealthy habits, such as smoking and excessive drinking.

Changing your lifestyle can be challenging, but it’s worth the effort for all the benefits it brings. The best way to stick with your healthy lifestyle is to make it a priority and remember all the reasons you’re doing it. It’s also helpful to be patient with yourself and remember that it takes time to establish new healthy habits. For more tips on how to live a healthy lifestyle, check out this article!

Better Sleep

Sleep is often overlooked as a critical element of health. While it’s a good idea to prioritize getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, busy schedules can make this challenging. Nevertheless, a lack of rest can be associated with a variety of health problems, including depression, heart disease and weight issues.

Research shows that people with adequate and high-quality sleep experience fewer health problems than those who get less sleep. For example, a study published in 2022 found that people who regularly get enough sleep have lower levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein, which may help decrease their risk for cardiovascular disease.

Getting plenty of sleep can also improve your balance and stability, making it easier to exercise and perform physical activities safely. In fact, a lack of sleep can increase your risk for falls and injuries.

Whether you’re working on an important project or just hanging out with friends, you’ll do better when you have adequate and high-quality sleep. To maximize your sleep, avoid electronic devices before bed, commit to a regular sleeping schedule, and keep a dark and quiet bedroom. It’s also important to treat any conditions that can cause a lack of quality sleep, such as sleep apnea and insomnia.

Better Self-Esteem

A healthy self-image gifts you with a sense of resiliency, confidence, compassion, and love for yourself that helps guide how you interact with others. It also allows you to accept that you are flawed and treat yourself with grace when you make a mistake or fail.

Your self-esteem is shaped by a wide variety of factors, such as your relationships, accomplishments, talents, background, and physical body. You may put more weight on some aspects than on others when forming your self-image, but all areas influence it in different ways. Living with low self-esteem often leads to problems with your mental health, which can include depression and anxiety. It can also cause you to hide yourself away from social situations and avoid trying new things, which can erode your abilities in the long run.

Having high self-esteem often translates into strong, supportive social connections and an ability to accept rejection in relationships. It may also make you less likely to engage in antisocial behavior like bullying, manipulation, and violence, although research in this area needs further study. It may also make it more likely that you’ll take better care of your body by avoiding junk food, alcohol, and cigarettes, all of which are detrimental to your health.

Better Relationships

Whether you’re single, in a relationship or married, healthy relationships have been shown to improve overall health. Being in a committed relationship has been linked to less production of cortisol, the stress hormone. This is likely because paired people are not as responsive to psychological distress, and have someone they can turn to for emotional support. However, a strong social support system does not need to involve a romantic partner. A close friendship or family member, or even a co-worker or therapist can be a great source of positive support.

Healthy relationships can also provide motivation to stick with other healthy behaviors, such as eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly or not smoking. Those who surround themselves with supportive people are more likely to follow their own good habits, as well as those of others in the group.

Loneliness is associated with higher rates of depression, lower self-rated health and increased risk of heart disease and other physical ailments. Having a large network of friends and family can help prevent this, so be sure to make time for them. Even if you cannot meet them in person, video chat or phone calls can be an easy way to stay connected.

Better Work Performance

A healthy lifestyle can improve your work performance by helping you feel more energetic throughout the day. Eating a balanced diet can ensure you are getting the nutrients your body needs for energy, while exercise can increase your serotonin levels to help you maintain a positive mood and reduce feelings of depression or anxiety.

Employee wellness programs can help your employees live healthier lives, which can boost their productivity at work. These programs can include on-site yoga classes, fitness challenges, nutrition workshops and sleep coaching. These activities can also help your employees find a better work-life balance, which is vital for overall health and mental well being.

Studies have shown that a bad work-life balance can actually decrease work performance. In fact, the Mind Share Partners 2021 Mental Health at Work Report found that employees suffering from mental health issues perform at only 72 percent of their capacity. Achieving a healthy work life balance can lead to greater job satisfaction and more productive employees.

Better Physical Health

The goal of living a healthy life is to have a balanced diet and regular exercise. This will help prevent cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases and neurological conditions. It will also help you to live a longer and healthier life. Regular physical activity will also increase the production of feel-good hormones called endorphins, which will improve your mental health and mood.

In addition, a healthy lifestyle will help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of chronic illnesses. It will also help you to avoid substances that can negatively affect your health, such as tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption. You should also make an effort to see your doctor on a regular basis. This will allow you to catch any potential problems early on, and it will also help you maintain a good relationship with your physician.

A healthy lifestyle is all about making small improvements and sticking with them. Start by identifying one area in which you can make a change and then work towards that goal. The more you stick with the changes, the more likely they will become permanent. If you are unsure where to begin, consider asking for help from professionals, like registered dietitians or therapists.