​7 Keys to a Happier Healthier You

1. Stay in Motion
Newton did not lie to us, his first law of motion states an object (or in our case a body) in motion stays in motion. You will find after a morning workout you are more productive and energized throughout your day. Not to mention working out releases endorphins which triggers a positive feeling in your body.

2. Get your Beauty Sleep, men too!
Not only does a good night sleep help with those dark circles under your eyes, recent reports by a Harvard run Health Study link more sleep to decreasing your risk for colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Sleep has also been linked to improving your mood and helping you lose weight! So sleep in a little and leave the guilt behind.

​3. Get your Heart Rate Up!
Your heart is a muscle so increasing your heart rate will help improve your heart strength. The American Heart Association recommends at least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity 3 times a week.

4. Have a Cheat Day.
With so many diets floating around most of us are unsure what to eat, what not to eat. One day a glass of wine is good for your health, the next it is not. Forget about what’s right and wrong (not every day), and allow yourself a well deserved ‘cheat meal’ and enjoy it.

5. Create Healthy Habits.
Yes a habit can be a good thing, build a routine for yourself that leads to a positive outcome. For example, turning your TV, cell phone and computer off 30 minutes prior to bedtime allows you to calm down before hitting the hay and thus allowing you a better night sleep. Blue light from electronic devices affects the level of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin preventing it from helping you fall asleep naturally.

6. Stretch it out.
Stretching first thing in the morning is linked to a positive mood, not to mention stretching in itself has so many benefits for your body. Stretching increases your range of motion in your joints, prevents injury, increases blood flow, and increases your energy level (just to name a few). You maybe thinking, ok, but what should I do? Start with reaching over towards your toes with soft knees and letting your head hang over. This simple stretch will increase blood flow to your brain allowing you to be more focused. This stretch also targets stretching your hamstring muscles releasing your lower back helping to alleviating lower back tightness.

7. Be Happy.
You are the key to your own happiness, wake up and give yourself a pep talk. Ok, well maybe not out loud, but positive thinking will help you actually be happy. As simple as that sounds give it a try, what have you got to lose?

Bonus Book Love: For a fun read and a fresh outlook check out: ‘The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun’ by Gretchen Rubin.