11 Small Things That Can Make You Smarter And Healthier, Based On Decades Of Research
They're not trendy, they don't involve kale, and they can actually make you happier.
PeopleImages.com by Yuri A via Shutterstock The desire for a happy and healthy life feels like the simplest, most obvious goal. And yet, guilds of writers, philosophers, and Buddha-wannabes expound on how to achieve it. For all our modern advances and easy-access knowledge, we still go about trying to reinvent the wheel, forgetting that what actually works are a few simple, old-fashioned guidelines.
If you’re in need of a little refresher course in building a happy life that’s also healthy, you need to add new practices to your daily routine. Some may lend themselves more to a weekly, monthly, or yearly routine. But they'll all help reawaken your happiness.
11 small things that make people smarter and healthier, based on research
1. Add a few new, nutritious foods into your meals
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Eating healthily can seem so boring, especially if you have to do all the prep and cooking. It’s far easier to reach for a box in the freezer or that chocolate stash in your purse.
But the body relies on quality fuel to do its job. You can't put garbage in and expect premium output. Multiple studies over generations have proven the benefits of a nutritious diet, connecting it to better cognitive output in adults, better grades in children and everyone in between!
For example, eating plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables does more than just help maintain a healthy gut. It also helps provide sustainable energy and a balanced mood.
Yes, you really are what you eat but you don't have to reform your whole system. Add a healthy, nutritious food to every meal as a simple start. You'll be surprised what a big change can happen from such a small amount of work.
2. Drink plenty of water
Your body needs water for every single function. Without it, toxins and metabolic waste are forced to linger in your body. Many dysfunctions — physical, mental, and emotional — can be traced back, at least in part, to dehydration.
If you’re not providing a steady flow of water throughout the day, your body simply will not perform as well — and that goes for your mind, too! As researchers who studied the effects of dehydration on the mental health of male college students note, "water accounts for 75% of brain mass", sharing that "dehydration had negative effects on vigor, esteem-related affect, short-term memory, and attention. Rehydration after water supplementation improved fatigue, TMD, short-term memory, attention, and reaction."
Feel free to walk over to your sink or filter pitcher now and pour a glass!
3. Get plenty of sleep and have a sleep schedule
Leading a happy and healthy life requires knowing when it’s time to work... time to play… and time to rest.
The effects of sleep deprivation can be debilitating to your body, mind, productivity, and happiness, both now and down the road. If you shave off even one hour of sleep a night, you will be sleep deprived by a full night's rest by the end of the week.
In contrast, multiple studies of highly successful college basketball players found that adding just two hours onto their nightly sleep increased freethrow accuracy compared to a control group of other basketball players on the same teams!
4. Get out into nature
Nature has a way of connecting you to what is pure and "now." There's a frequency to the sights, sounds, and energy of nature that is calming and healing to the mind and spirit. The American Psychological Association quotes Dr. Lisa Nisbet as saying, “There is mounting evidence, from dozens and dozens of researchers, that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human well-being."
Here are a few easy ways to reconnect:
- Find new trails for walking your dog.
- Buy an annual pass to your state parks and visit a new one every month.
- Plant flowers in the spring and fall.
- Put your bare feet into a flowing creek.
- Climb a mountain, sit on a rock, watch a falcon dive.
- Just "be" in Creation.
Consider taking your love for nature one step further and volunteer to help with clean-up efforts in your own community. Look to organizations like Heal the Bay or consult your local state parks website for opportunities.
5. Exercise
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Your body was designed to move. Indulge it, and reap the rewards of all those wonderful endorphins that exercise releases.
Here are a few small ways to make a big difference without too much effort:
- Take a walk after dinner.
- Put on some music and dance with your family in the evening.
- Enroll in a new weekly class.
- Get on your mat or exercise bike and give your digital trainer a run for their money.
- Park further away from the grocery store and do a couple extra bicep curls as you load those groceries in.
Just make intentional, sustained movement a part of your daily life. Research shows that you don't have to run a marathon or bench press 330lbs to experience incredible benefits. A short daily walk goes a long way, helping reduce or prevent dementia, diabetes and cardovascular desease in older adults; decrease depression in nearly every age group; and strengthen bones and muscles!
6. Help someone else
There's nothing like doing for others that does so much for your own happiness. And the more genuine and selfless your intentions, the more genuine and lingering your own satisfaction will be. That’s just the way kindness, generosity, and love work!
Citing Megan Hays, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at University of Alabama, Birmingham, UAB News explains that, "studies have shown that such acts improve mental health and can contribute to physical health benefits, such as lower blood pressure and a healthier immune profile. Research suggests that volunteering — particularly when driven by a genuine desire to help others — is associated with a longer lifespan."
Imagine what an amazing world it would be if everyone was committed to helping others! You don’t even have to go looking for opportunities. Just say “yes” to the countless invitations that present themselves to you in both small and big ways.
By opening your heart to give, you also open your heart to receive. Isn’t it wonderful the way that works?
7. Simplify
When was the last time you heard of someone leaving a peaceful, happy, simple existence to take on the craziness of Wall Street? It's pretty much always the other way around!
You can embrace the same principle without giving up your day job or moving out of town. Just start decluttering, letting go, and simplifying. You will likely notice that reducing clutter will reduce your stress — at least that's what psychologists say!
Create a ritual around the process of simplifying your life. Doing so helps you release what no longer serves you. And always keep a visual of the calmness and peace that come from living with purpose and intention.
8. Stay connected to people you love and enjoy
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Social connection has been proven time and time again to be essential to a happy and healthy lifestyle. Those who maintain meaningful connections with friends and family live longer and are healthier and happier than those who isolate.
The health implications from loneliness and isolation go well behind mental health, increasing the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, according to the CDC. So find a club, house of worship, 12-step program, or simply take a class in something you'll enjoy learning to make connections. Then, put in the work to keep those friendships going.
9. Go somewhere new at least once a year
Everyone needs a break from the daily grind. Every mind needs fresh stimulation. And every relationship — even the one with yourself — needs a periodic adventure to re-energize itself.
If you’re tight on funds, make the most of a day or weekend drive or a hike on a new trail. The benefits of this ritual are really dependent on your own intentions, as "adventure" was proven to be a mindset more than a physical destintion, and your openness to life’s surprises.
10. Practice gratitude
Gratitude is perhaps the simplest, most benevolent key to "being in the moment".
It stops you from reaching into the future with longing for what you don’t have. And it stops you from looking into the past for things that belonged only to the past. A mindfulness practice can enhance both aspects and can help reduce stress, help you feel happier when you're depressed and increase cardiovascular health, according to research!
An attitude of gratitude sets your focus on what is. It is a commitment to looking for beauty, goodness, and abundance — in nature, in the world, and in others.
11. Smile!
Try wallowing in a pity party with a big smile on your face. Right? Kind of silly, isn't it?
The very act of smiling has a positive effect on health, mood, and perspective. You have had a lifetime of connecting smiling and laughing with happiness and fun.
So, it’s no wonder that your brain rebuilds that bridge when a smile crosses your face. And the added bonus is that your smile may be the greatest gift in someone else’s day. After all, data says smiles are contagious.
Creating a happy, healthy life is surprisingly simple, isn't it?
You’ve probably noticed that nothing here is earth-shattering. Some tips are about caring for your physical health, some are about caring for your emotional health, and some are about caring for others.
In the long run, creating a happy and healthy life comes down to a mindset. Knowing that a happy, healthy mindset comes from practice (and cannot just be wished into existence), isn't it a good time to get started practicing it?
Dr. Karen Finn is a life coach. Her writing has appeared on MSN, Yahoo! & eHarmony, among others.
