May 12

May 12 Ten simple daily self care tips for better health

I’m always on the look out for new and/or better ways to try to keep feeling the best I can every day. And by best, let’s be clear, I’m happy if that means a day without something hurting an unnecessary amount or, God forbid, dropping off. altogether. A day when my energy levels don’t ditch me and go awol at some point. And/or a day when I get into bed at night not feeling every one of my 62 years.

The following are all things that I’ve tried and, when I remember to do them - and I do attempt to do most of them most days, - make an appreciable difference to my general health and overall sense of wellbeing.

1. Wake up at the same time each day

When I stopped having to go into work every day (either in an office or at my desk at home) I thought I would relish not having to be a slave to the 6.30 alarm. But very quickly I found I was feeling sluggish and lethargic if I lay in bed snoozing until….well, whatever time I finally flung the duvet aside.

Allowing myself the luxury of an extra half an hour, I have had my alarm set at 7.00 ever since (even at the weekends when I give myself two alarm-free days, I find I wake up at that time naturally).

A consistent wake-up time has an important effect on our body’s circadian rhythm - our inner body clock - which in turn affects our hormones and metabolic system. So it’s not just a superficial habit to get into, it’s one that has a positive genetic and therefore physical impact.

2. Brush your teeth for up to four minutes….

Apparently most people only brush their teeth for 45 seconds, which is substantially less than the 2-4 minutes recommended by dentists.

I have historically terrible teeth (I blame my parents - for their poor dental genes not their negligence) and have become increasingly conscientious about taking care of the remaining natural ones, and the extensive number of crowns, caps and bridges I’ve acquired over the decades *sigh (helped greatly by the brilliant toothbrush I use, which I wrote all about HERE). So my morning and evening tooth brushing is one of the self-care routines I stick to most rigidly.

What I’ve found makes the business of keeping up the brushing for 3-4 minutes without even really trying is this next tip.

3….and do exercises whilst you’re at it

You just know exercise is going to be one of the ten things on this list (I mean, I’m nothing if not consistent in my repetitiveness), so combining two self-care tips in one has to be a double win, right?

For the past few months the exercises I’ve been doing when I’m tooth brushing have focused on the physio homework I’ve needed to do to address the issues caused by a frayed tendon in my foot (too myriad and boring to go into, but I will just say it’s amazing - and not in a good way - just how much havoc a problem in your foot can cause right through the rest of your body). I definitely credit my slow but steady recovery to better, more pain-free function to those consistent daily doses of exercises.

There are any number of simple exercises you can do whilst about the business of brushing. HERE are some suggestions to get you started.

4. Get your heart rate going

Whilst we’re on the subject of exercise - yup, here it is again - it’s been shown in too many studies not to conclude that 30 minutes a day is the ideal amount to be doing in order to reduce your risk of everything from cancer to heart disease and diabetes.

The key is to make that 30 minutes of activity something that increases your heart rate and breathing. It really doesn’t matter how you do that. My preference is for walking or swimming, with the still-too-occasional torture session at the gym thrown in for good measure.

If walking is your activity of choice, try aiming for 7,000 to 8,000 steps in 30 minutes.

5. Stretch

If, like me, you’re someone who spends a lot of time sitting at a desk (and hunched over a keyboard) or in the car then you need to make sure you’re incorporating stretching into your daily movement routine. Stretching improves both flexibility and mobility, both increasingly important as we age.

I’ve found that the best time for me to do my own stretching routine is first thing in the morning. The stretches I do depend on which bit, or more likely bits, of me feel the tightest (my back is always on the list) and I find that the 15 minutes or so I spend uncoiling my cramped muscles pays dividends for the rest of the day.

THESE are a set of simple daily stretches you can do. I never do my stretches in bed, but if you like to, then several of them can be done there rather than on the floor, whichever you prefer.

6. Stand up

Sitting for long stretches has all sorts of repercussions for our health including raised blood sugar and cholesterol levels, weight gain and depression. The good news is there’s something super-simple we can do to counteract all of that, and that’s simply to stand up.

Just getting up and moving around a bit for five minutes every hour can help reduce fatigue and food cravings (I don’t know about you but snacking is my worst habit when I’m at my desk for hours at a stretch).

When I know I’m going to be spending a day seated for long periods, I set a timer on my phone which goes off each hour to remind me to get up off my bum (and ideally not head straight to the biscuit tin.) Rather I try, at least once to….

7. Get outside

Whilst it’s true there’s not always as much of it available as we might like, the vitamin D we get from sunshine is critical for building bone, helping control infections and reducing inflammation. So although we should definitely be wearing sunscreen on our faces every day (I put on Factor 50 as part of my morning skin care regime), current Government advice is that between April and September here in the UK, we should get outside without sunscreen for 10-15 mins for fair skinned people, and 25-45 mins for dark skinned, each day.

And because any time spent outdoors in natural spaces can boost focus and productivity and just make you feel more upbeat, I try to take at least one of those standing breaks out in my garden, or having a quick walk around the block.

8. Drink

By that I don’t mean keep a bottle of wine and a straw to hand obviously (though if you’ve had a tough day, go ahead, you’ve definitely earned it).

Your body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue, and organ needs water to work properly. It also makes your skin look better. There’s literally every possible reason to keep your hydration levels up all day long, and it’s one of the things on this list I’m least good at.

The best thing to drink is plain water, but other drinks and food help towards your daily total. Which is just as well, because at least I down three or four mugs of green tea on an average day. And I am trying to have a glass or flask of water to hand (I much prefer to drink it good and cold) most of the time to remind me to keep sipping.

It can be tricky to know how much liquid is enough, because that will be somewhat different for each of us. The best indicator of whether you’re properly hydrated is the colour of your urine. If it’s dark, you need to up your liquid consumption. If it’s light you’re right on track.

9. Write a to do list

When it comes to bedtime I often struggle to wind my mind down (partly due to not ditching my phone enough time before I get into bed. I really, really need to be better at that).

What I’ve quite recently found is writing down all the things I need to do/remember/attend to tomorrow just before I turn out the light. somehow helps to empty my busy brain, leaving me calmer and more able to drop off quickly.

And that helps no end with the final tip on this list.

10. Get enough sleep

Eight is always flaunted as the magic number of ideal hours to sleep, but as we get older we actually need slightly less than that. Results of tests on middle aged and older adults have shown that consistently getting seven decent hours of sleep boosts our cognitive performance and mental health.

Your ideal sleep prescription will be as individual as you are. Personally I prefer pitch dark, a degree of fresh air, just one pillow not two, a nice fluffy duvet and as much quiet as possible for optimum sleep. My partner, who I don’t live with, which in light of what I’m about to tell you is probably just as well, prefers to fall asleep with the radio on, likes the room at what I consider to be fridge temperature and kicks off the covers immediately he’s in bed. Good job we’re compatible in so many other ways.