While there are many differences between men and women, when it comes to their health, their needs are quite similar. As humans, both men and women need a lifestyle focused on healthy habits if they want to avoid sickness, prevent chronic disease, and live a long and happy life.
These lifestyle changes can include anything from eating better food, treating any illnesses as early as possible, and getting the rest your body needs. Fortunately, addressing these concerns is easier than you might think, and there are several universal health tips for men and women alike. To help get you started, here are some of the top ones you can try today.
Improve Your Sleep Quality
Your morning routine might include a cup or two of coffee just to feel awake. Have you ever stopped to think that maybe this isn’t normal? Maybe you were designed to sleep better so that when you do wake up, you can be focused, more alert, and ready to go for the day. With that said, most people could simply use better sleep. Unfortunately, our environment has added a few obstacles.
The use of technology, smartphones, a television in bedrooms, are all hindrances to proper sleep. To get better sleep, you should turn off devices about an hour before bed. To help yourself unwind, read a book, take a bath, or drink a hot cup of herbal tea. These habits can signal your body to start producing melatonin and help you drift off to sleep more quickly.
Find Ways to Destress
Everyone has something they do to relieve stress. Whether you take walks, throw axes, or participate in yoga or meditation, there are plenty of ways to reduce the overwhelming feelings you might have. Men and women are prone to heart attacks, and stress is one of many contributors to the heart disease that can lead to it.
Whether you’re a musician and find stress relief playing an instrument, or you’re an artist and love to create masterpieces, make sure you use healthy stress relief outlets. Things like drugs and alcohol may feel like a temporary fix at the moment, but they can lead to long-term health problems and addiction.
Drink More Water (A Lot More)
If you’re breathing, then you probably don’t get enough water each day — and drinking soda or coffee doesn’t really count, either. You need clean, fresh water every single day to stay healthy. It’s important to consume about half your body weight in ounces of water. So, if you weigh 250 pounds, then you need around 125 ounces of water daily.
This may sound like a lot, but once your body gets accustomed to processing all that extra water, then you’ll find you have more energy and mental acuity than you did without it. Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger and can lead to overeating, too. You can flavor your water with a bit of lemon or cucumber water if you would prefer something tasty.
Focus on Sexual Health
People often forget to manage their sexual health. However, if you’ve had more than one partner, you’re at greater risk of STIs, even if you’re currently in a monogamous relationship right now. It’s easier than ever to get reliable and accurate STI detection and treatment, even from the comfort of your own home.
Create Better Relationships
Having too many toxic relationships can lead to stress and poor health. Men and women who are in bad relationships with each other, or have toxic family members, are more likely to experience struggles in their physical and mental health. It’s important to know when to keep toxic people away and learn how to build better friendships and relationships with people who won’t suck you dry.
Eat More Protein
You don’t need to be a carnivore to eat more protein. The truth is, both men and women don’t always consume enough protein. Most American diets are so carbohydrate-heavy that they don’t get the other macronutrients they need. By focusing on more healthy protein sources, you will retain and build muscle mass, stay full longer, and reduce food cravings. For those individuals working out, they will need more protein than average.
Limit Alcohol Consumption
How many drinks are too many? The truth is, men and women should only consume a drink at a time. Women can typically enjoy a drink 1-2 times a week, while men can enjoy them around 2-3 times a week. Too much alcohol consumption all at once puts pressure on the body’s detox mechanisms and can lead to liver failure, heart disease, and other medical conditions.
If you struggle with binge drinking or you find yourself needing a drink or two every single day, you may need to seek out professional help for alcohol addiction. And by taking the time to address these problems that might be otherwise harming your wellbeing, you can find yourself on the path to a better, healthier, and happier life for many more years to come!
