Print Do you want to know more about the three basic elements of a healthy lifestyle: sleep, nutrition and exercise? In this 3 minute video you’ll learn about the most important information!
By working on a healthy body, you work towards a healthy mind and increase your mental resilience. This ensures an improved ability to deal with setbacks!
Sleep
Adequate sleep is important for your body’s recovery, but the ‘right’ amount of sleep varies from person to person. In general, 7 to 9 hours of sleep is best.
When you sleep too little, your body and mind cannot recover properly, and you wake up feeling tired. When this happens too often, it can result in health complaints. These complaints lead to the quality of your sleep becoming even worse, and consequently causing even more complaints.
The opposite can also take place. When you sleep too much, you become less active. This causes your fitness to deteriorate, consequently causing you to tire more quickly. As a result, you end up sleeping more, causing a further deterioration in fitness.
Improve your sleep
Are you having trouble finding an effective sleep rhythm? These tips will help you improve your sleep:
- In the evening, do not eat too heavily or too much, but also not too little. Avoid sugary foods and caffeinated drinks such as black tea, coffee, energy drinks and soft drinks a few hours before bed.
- Get enough exercise during the day, but not right before going to sleep.
- A warm shower in the evening can help.
- Try to put your phone away 1 to 2 hours before going to sleep and avoid other screens, such as the television. This way, your body can better prepare for the night.
Exercise
In addition to the right amount of sleep, exercise is an indispensable element of a healthy lifestyle. The guideline for adults is to exercise at a moderate intensity for at least half an hour, 6 days a week, such as briskly walking or cycling.
Exercise is important because it keeps you fit. Furthermore, it increases your self-esteem because you are taking better care of your body, pushing your boundaries and feeling increasingly fitter and stronger. Exercise improves your state of mind, affects your mood, increases your resilience and can contribute to a better night’s sleep.
Would you like to exercise a little more? These tips will help you on your way!
- Choose a sport that you enjoy and that suits you.
- To stay motivated, you can bring a sports buddy, you can push each other in the right direction!
- Take the bike to work more often. Are you going by public transport? Get off a stop earlier and walk for a while! On our blog page, you can find more tips on how to become more active.
Nutrition
Food is your body’s fuel. A healthy and varied diet also affects your mood. This is because food can influence certain chemicals in the brain that are involved in our emotions.
Healthy food also ensures a better night’s sleep. When you eat regularly and healthily, your body will be able to absorb enough energy to function properly during the day. The energy then decreases in the evening, so you start to feel tired and can sleep better.
Do you want to improve or adjust your diet?
- Prepare three healthy and varied meals every day. You can also eat healthy snacks, such as carrots with hummus or a piece of fruit.
- Try to moderate your consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
- To find out which foods are healthy, you can follow the guidelines in the ‘Wheel of Five’. When you follow these guidelines, your body will be able to get enough energy from all the nutrients.
Conclusion
In conclusion, adequate sleep, regular exercise and a healthy diet are the basis of a healthy body and mind. Try and see where you can make improvements and discuss this with your professional. By doing this, you will lay a strong foundation for your recovery.
If you want more information about living an active and healthy life, take a look at our Lifestyle library. If you have any questions regarding this information, you can ask your professional!
Sources
Gezondheidsraad, Voedingscentrum, Hersenstichting, Voedingscentrum Schijf van Vijf, Thuisarts
