Celebrating the new year means resolving to be healthier for many of us. And while there is no shortage of products to buy, newsletters to subscribe to and countless other sources promising to help you improve your health, there are some very straightforward and free methods that offer tremendous benefits.
Simple lifestyle changes can dramatically improve your orthopaedic and overall health. Endeavor Health physical therapist Jeff Martini, PT, DPT, OCS, RYT, offers six vital strategies to help achieve your best physical self.
Move more. “Our joints and our whole bodies are designed to be in motion. When you stop moving is often when things start going wrong,” said Martini. “All the systems in our body are connected and a sedentary lifestyle can create a vicious cycle of problems from cardiovascular and circulatory issues to stiff muscles and joints.”
As people are living longer it is even more important to use movement as a way to keep our systems working. “Modern medicine has granted us extra decades, it’s important to be able to take advantage of them,” said Martini.
- Find what you like. Exercise doesn’t have to mean joining a gym or starting an elaborate workout routine. “Some people don’t realize that everyday activities count as exercise,” said Martini. Going for a walk is a great way to get started — walk with a friend or a dog or explore your neighborhood on your own if you prefer. Dancing is a great way to move, and you can do it anywhere. “People often say I don’t like exercising, but when you press people, you usually can find an activity they like — and the activity you like is the one you’re most likely to keep doing,” he added.
- Start small. Walking for just 15 minutes a day has great benefits, especially for people who are fairly sedentary. “For people who can commit to just 15 minutes a day, they’ll begin to notice improvements and soon may be able to increase their pace, or find themselves wanting to go longer,” said Martini. Most people who increase their activity level will experience an “endorphin high” and will enjoy the feeling of getting stronger.
- Train for life. People want to be able to keep up with their grandchildren and enjoy activities with their families. Remembering your “why” can help keep you motivated. Working on simple exercises like squats or using a treadmill or elliptical machine when the weather is not conducive to being outside, can help develop and maintain strength necessary to move through life with fewer injuries.
Get quality sleep. “Good sleep is both cause and effect — when you sleep better you have more energy, feel better and will naturally move more. And when you move more, you generally sleep better,” said Martini.
For people who struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep, sometimes working with a physical therapist or experienced trainer can help them find a more comfortable sleep position that will support neutral alignment.
Learn to relax. Just as physical exercise is important, so too is the ability to relax in a peaceful resting state, something that is increasingly difficult for many people in our society today, added Martini.
Yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices can help people learn to slow down. “The body actually needs down time to heal and recover and everyone should be able to access a calm state of relaxation,” he added.
