Good health is important, but women often put their health on the back burner. Women deal with unique stressors that can impact their health, including menstruation, pregnancy, and motherhood. Women are more likely to experience eating disorders, depression, and anxiety because of societal pressures and expectations. Women also tend to live longer than men, a situation that presents its own set of challenges. If you’re a woman who wants to feel great every day, read on for tips on how to improve your health.
Table of Contents
1. Go to Bed and Wake Up at the Same Time Every Day
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, experiment with the timing of your daily activities. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This can help train your body to wind down at a specific time. Make sure you also keep your sleep environment clean and dark to promote healthy sleep. You may consider sleeping with earplugs or a noise machine to drown out any potential disturbances.
2. Exercise Every Day
There are many benefits to exercising daily, including improved mood and better sleep, reduced risk of heart disease, and a reduced likelihood of diabetes. Exercising daily doesn’t have to take a long time. You can get started with something as simple as a 30-minute walk or 15 minutes of yoga. If you’re interested in weight training, go for daily walks while carrying or wearing light weights to help build muscle. Physical activity can be a helpful tool for managing stress as well. Wear cozy women’s scrubs during your shift so that you can get your exercise and your work done at the same time. Load everything up in nurse accessories like all-purpose bags to keep everything neatly stored away when not in use.
3. Try Colored Breathing
Colored breathing is a mindfulness exercise that is perfect for women who are experiencing anxiety. Women experience anxiety at higher rates than men. To try this exercise, pick a color that resonates with you. Use that color to calm yourself during stressful times. Close your eyes, and inhale and exhale while visualizing this color permeating throughout your whole body. This is a simple exercise that can be done almost anywhere, making it perfect for women on the go.
4. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Eating a healthy breakfast can make a significant difference in your overall health and wellness, especially if you are trying to lose weight or control your blood sugar. A healthy breakfast can help reduce your risk factors for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Studies have also shown that eating a healthy breakfast led to better mental focus and less impulsiveness. Eating a healthy breakfast can also make you less hungry during the day, helping to prevent overeating later in the day. Carry those good dietary habits throughout the day with the rest of your meals!
5. Stay Hydrated With Water
Staying hydrated is important for everyone, but it’s especially so for women. The US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that women consume around 11.5 cups of water per day. Not drinking enough water throughout the day can negatively impact your health in many ways, leading to serious health issues.
6. Find Stress-Reducing Activities You Enjoy
Stress can increase your risk of developing anxiety, diabetes, and heart disease. If left untreated, it can even cause death. There are many ways you can reduce your stress and improve your health. Try finding activities you enjoy that reduce your stress. Some examples of stress-reducing activities include yoga, meditation, reading, spending time with friends and family, gardening, or anything else that puts you into a calming state. If you’re interested in trying meditation, there are tons of apps and programs available online. These activities may also help you unwind after a stressful day at work and help you sleep better at night.
7. Take Evenings for Yourself
Women often skip out on nights out for themselves, and this can have a significant impact on their health and wellness. Women often feel guilty about taking nights off and having some “me time” away from work and family. Don’t do this to yourself! Doing things on your own may help improve your productivity in the long run, giving you a better chance of being successful. Take off those women’s scrubs, lock up those nurse accessories, throw on something fun, and go out and party!
8. See Your Doctor
No one can stay on top of your overall health better than your doctor. Make sure that you schedule regular ob-gyn and primary care appointments so that you know that you’re in good shape.
9. Take a Monthly Self-Care Day
One way to practice self-care is to set aside one day per month for self-care activities. This can include going to a spa, eating healthy meals, or even doing something relaxing like reading a book. Taking monthly time for yourself can help you recharge and give yourself a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. It can help you stay healthy, both mentally and physically. Taking time for yourself not only helps you relax and reduce feelings of guilt, but it can also help improve your overall health.
Take Care of Yourself
You are powerful, but you may feel you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. This belief system often makes you ignore your own health to take care of everyone and everything else around you. By using even a few of the above tips, you can help give yourself a better chance at better overall health.
