Concerned friends, countless blogs, and colorful prevention posters are incessantly warning about a "healthy lifestyle." Health is trendy, but let's be honest: Why is a important? The simple answer is: Health increases the quality of life and even increases life expectancy, says the Max Planck Society.
Therefore, a healthy lifestyle is not an achievement that you have to achieve but serves your well-being. We take a quick look at this joining for you: Which factors make up a healthy lifestyle? What are the mechanisms behind it? And how can you increase your well-being in everyday life?
5 FACTORS FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
# 1 EXERCISE STRENGTHENS MUSCLES AND THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Regular exercise is one of the most critical factors in a healthy lifestyle. There are many reasons for this: Sport strengthens the muscles and protects the skeleton from the excessive and incorrect strain. The metabolism is boosted sustainably while the blood pressure drops. Physical activity prevents cardiovascular diseases. It also has a mood-enhancing effect because happiness hormones and immune-strengthening messenger substances are released.
Three to five hours of moderate endurance sports - swimming, running, dancing, cycling - are sufficient to achieve these positive effects. Regular everyday exercise, such as climbing stairs and walking, is also useful for you.
# 2 SLEEP PROVIDES MENTAL RELAXATION AND PHYSICAL
REGENERATION
Sleep provides relaxation and even slows down aging processes. The body and mind work at full speediness at night: A high concentration of growth hormones ensures that stored metabolic products are broken down, and injuries in the body tissue are healed. The memory hardly needs to absorb external stimuli and thus process the day's information.
Therefore, according to your individual needs, a regular sleep routine makes a significant contribution to well-being. The recovery and growth processes enable development and regeneration. Both children and adults should get enough sleep. However, enough is not measured in hours, but in the fact that you feel rested and powerful during the day.
# 3 DIET IS YOUR FOUNDATION
A stable diet makes an essential contribution to a healthy lifestyle and forms the basis of your well-being. The food should provide your body with all the vital substances it needs for a healthy nervous and immune system. A wholesome diet with new vegetables and fruit and good whole grain cereals and pulses is ideal. These foods are easy to metabolize and do not burden your body. Be careful not to do too much harm to him. Reduce the consumption of additives and preservatives, alcohol, nicotine, and refined sugar as much as possible. (You can find more detailed info on this topic in our article: Healthy Eating )
# 4 THE PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM PROTECTS AGAINST
CONSTANT STRESS
The autonomic anxious system has a lot to say about health. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves act as counterparts for a balanced relationship between tension and relaxation, thereby regulating digestion, circulation, and the immune system. In everyday life, the sympathetic - the tension system - is often overly active. He reacts to the high density of stimuli, time pressure, and stress. The parasympathetic nervous system - the relaxation system - is neglected. The lack of rest phases then causes an imbalance in the hormonal balance, permanent stress, and emotional imbalances. It is followed by physical symptoms, such as indigestion, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of infection.
Set counter-impulses by specifically activating your parasympathetic nervous system: Treat yourself and your sympathetic nervous system to quiet time-outs, spend time with yourself, practice yoga and meditation, or go for a walk in the fresh air—extensive stretching and yawning in between also ensure more relaxation in everyday life.
# 5 SOCIAL CONTACTS AND OPTIMISM STRENGTHEN THE IMMUNE
SYSTEM
Scientific studies prove the influence of social inclusion
and a positive attitude on life satisfaction. For your well-being, pay
attention to the people you surround yourself with and how you view life.
Maintain friendships not out of a sense of obligation but in such a way that
you feel comfortable and secure in them. The same applies to your views: Which
gives you pleasure and makes life difficult for you? Try to break away from
negative thoughts and connections instead of developing strengthening
perspectives and social relationships. It promotes stress reduction and
sometimes even alleviates physical inflammation processes.