Many people decide to make New Year’s resolutions to break unhealthy habits, and starting an exercise regimen is often at the top of the list. While physical inactivity is a cause of some underlying health issues, exercise alone will not propel one into a fantastic state of wellness. Cultivating an environment of wellness for the body is only effective when approached holistically. Here are five unhealthy habits to break in addition to becoming physically active.
1. Too Much Sitting
Americans sit too much, and studies have shown that sitting for long periods of time can increase the risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. You need to get off the couch and get active. More physical activity will do your body good, and it has also been shown to improve your mood and overall well-being. Set an hour aside each day to work out. If that’s too much, start small and work out for 15 minutes and gradually work your way up to half an hour or one hour.
2. Smoking
Everyone knows that smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer, and the ill effects of smoking cannot be alleviated by exercise alone. But exercise can help give you a distraction to use to overcome cravings for cigarettes while at the same time improving your overall health. If you’re trying to kick the habit of smoking, exercise is a great distraction that you can use to help you quit smoking once and for all. If you’re looking to quit smoking, you can learn more at DelrayRecoveryCenter.com. Also, click here if you’d like to learn more about the dangers of nicotine.
3. Sadness and Depression
Depression and sadness are often mental health problems that should be treated as such. If you’re depressed, you should visit with your doctor to get the right medications to treat your disorder, but you should also include exercise to help you beat depression. Exercise releases endorphins, so it can help improve your mood and feel happier when you are down. Exercise should not be the only answer to treating depression, but it can be a helpful companion.
4. Poor Sleep Patterns
If you struggle to fall asleep at night, wake up often and can’t go to bed, or have trouble waking up when you need to, exercise can be a great help in establishing a normal and consistent sleep pattern. Don’t exercise too close to bed time because that will make it hard to fall asleep. However, exercise during the day can prepare your body to fall sleep faster and get a deeper, better sleep.