Natural Ways to Live a Happy, Longer Life

Regardless of how you define ultimate happiness, living a happy, more fulfilled, and longer life is possible. A few adjustments to your daily regime can help you reach your goal. Habits make a difference. If you have attempted to quit a bad habit, you know how ingrained it is. However, positive habits are also strongly ingrained.

Why not try to incorporate positive habits into your routine? Here are some natural ways to get your quest off the ground. Remember that everyone's definition of happiness and method of reaching it differ slightly. If any of these recommendations cause additional stress or do not match your lifestyle, discard them. Time and effort will help you determine what works best for you.

The following natural ways may assist you in attaining greater happiness in your life.

Start Your Day with A Smile

You typically smile when you are happy. But it really works both ways. When we are happy, we smile, which in turn triggers the release of dopamine in the brain, which in turn makes us even happier. Researchers have determined that there may be a weak connection between one's facial expressions and emotional states (the "facial feedback hypothesis"), which may help explain why smiling is associated with feelings of happiness¹.

This doesn't imply that you must always wear a phony smile. However, try smiling the next time you're feeling down and watch what happens. Or try starting every morning with a smile in the mirror.

Keep Your Mood in Mind When You Eat

You may already be aware that the foods you consume influence your physical health as a whole. However, certain meals might also alter your mood². For example:

• Dopamine and norepinephrine are released by protein-rich diets, which increase energy and focus. Foods that are high in protein include lean meat, poultry, beans, and dairy.
• Carbohydrates make serotonin a hormone that makes you feel good. Just limit your intake of simple carbohydrates — foods high in sugar and starch — because this energy boost is temporary and will be followed by a collapse. Choosing complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables, legumes, and whole grains can prevent a collapse while still supplying serotonin.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, like the ones in fatty fish, have been found to reduce inflammation and improve the health of your brain³. Consult a physician about possible supplementation if you do not consume fish.
• Highly processed or fried foods, as well as skipping meals, are likely to make you feel sad.

If you want to eat based on how you feel, you could start by choosing one food each day based on your mood. Try substituting some Greek yogurt and fruit for that huge, sugary doughnut you were planning on eating in the morning. You will still be able to fulfill your sweet craving, and the protein will prevent you from experiencing a late morning energy drop. Consider incorporating a new food exchange every week.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise benefits more than just the body. Regular exercise can reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms while increasing confidence and happiness. Even minimal physical activity can have a significant impact⁴. You don't need to sign up for a triathlon or climb a cliff unless those things actually bring you happiness.

The key is to avoid overexerting yourself. You may become discouraged if you abruptly adopt a strict routine. Think about these as places to start:

• After dinner each night, take a stroll around the block.
• Participate in a daily 5-minute stretching routine.
• Enroll in a beginner's yoga or tai chi session.

Think back on the enjoyable things you used to do but have stopped doing. Or you could begin things you've always wished to do, such as golf, bowling, or dance.

Get Sufficient Sleep

The majority of adults require a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night⁵. If you find yourself resisting the need to take a nap during the day or if you feel overall foggy, your body may be requesting more rest. Even though our modern society encourages us to sleep less, we are aware that proper sleep is essential for our health, cognitive performance, and emotional well-being⁶.

Additionally, adequate sleep lessens your risk of developing chronic diseases such as depression, heart disease, and diabetes⁷. Here are some suggestions for establishing a healthy sleep routine:

• Record the number of hours you sleep each night and how rested you feel. You should have a better picture of your progress after one week.
• Maintain a consistent bedtime and waketime, including on weekends.
• Reserve the hour preceding bedtime for a peaceful time. Do something soothing, such as taking a bath or reading a book. Don't eat and drink too much.
• Maintain a dark, cool, and quiet bedroom.
• Invest in some relaxing bedding.
• If you must nap in the afternoon, limit it to twenty minutes.

Consider using Bodytox Lavender Sleep Patches if you routinely have trouble falling or staying asleep.

Maintain An Attitude of Thankfulness

Being appreciative can increase your mood significantly, among other benefits. A two-part study indicated, for instance, that practicing thankfulness can substantially impact sentiments of optimism and happiness⁸. You may try beginning each day by expressing gratitude for one thing. You can do it while you are waiting for your snoozed alarm to go off or while you're brushing your teeth.

Consider keeping an eye out for the positive aspects of your life while you go about your daily activities. They can be significant events, such as learning that someone loves you or receiving a well-deserved promotion. However, they can also be small gestures, such as a colleague offering you a cup of coffee or a neighbor waving to you. It could be as simple as feeling the sun's rays on your skin. You may even become more conscious of all the great things around you with a little effort.

Breathe In Deeply

Your chest is tight, your shoulders are tensed, and you get the distinct impression that you might "lose it" at any moment. Everyone can relate to this sentiment. To calm yourself down, your instincts may tell you to take a long, deep breath. That instinct turned out to be correct. Research shows that slowing down breathing and taking deep breaths can help you feel less stressed⁹.

Follow these ways the next time you feel overwhelmed or at your wits' end:

• Close your eyes. Think about a happy memory or a nice place.
• Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose.
• Exhale slowly via your mouth or nose.
• Do this multiple times till you feel yourself relaxing.

If you're having trouble breathing slowly and deeply, try counting to five in your mind with each breath in and out. You can also put Harmony's Relaxation Oil on your wrist for getting ultimate relaxation.

Recognize The Unpleasant Times

Most of the time, it's good to have a positive attitude, but bad things happen to everyone. It is simply a part of life. Don't pretend to be happy if you receive terrible news, make a mistake, or feel down in the dumps. Acknowledge your dissatisfaction and allow yourself to experience it for a moment.

Then, change your attention to what triggered these feelings and what it may take to recover. Would practicing deep breathing be beneficial? A lengthy stroll outside? Discussing it with someone? Allow the moment to pass and attend to your needs. Remember that no one is always happy.

Try Not to Compare Yourself to Others

It's easy to fall into a situation where you compare yourself to others, whether it occurs at work, on social media, or even in yoga class. The outcome? You may experience increased dissatisfaction, diminished self-esteem, anxiety, and stress¹⁰.

Although it might take some effort and time, the rewards of achieving a state of contentment and happiness within yourself are well worth the effort. You can begin with some of the other suggestions on this list, such as deep breathing, to focus your attention within.

Declutter

Decluttering may sound daunting but dedicating just 20 minutes per week can have a significant impact.

For 15 minutes, devote yourself to organizing a single space, such as a closet or a disorganized drawer. Put everything in the right place and eliminate or give away anything that is no longer useful. Keep a special box for free stuff to make things easier and avoid creating more clutter. Use the remaining five minutes to perform a fast sweep of your living area, putting away any stray items you encounter.

This can be done once a week, once a day, or whenever you feel your area is getting out of hand.

Communicate With Friends

Humans are usually regarded as social creatures. Although studies on the specific relationship between socialization and happiness are contradictory, the assumption is that having social relationships might make us happier¹¹. Who do you miss? Communicate with them. Make plans to meet or simply have a lengthy phone conversation.

It can feel nearly hard to make new friends as an adult. However, it does not matter how many friends you have. It's about building meaningful relationships, even with just one or two individuals. Consider joining a local volunteer organization or enrolling in a class. Both can help you find like-minded individuals in your neighborhood. And it is possible that they are also seeking companionship. Companionship need not be restricted to human beings. Various research has found that pets provide significant benefits¹².

Get Into a Routine of Pampering Yourself

Self-care is easy to overlook in today's fast-paced environment. Finding time to care for yourself is challenging but essential if you want your mind, heart, and soul to continue functioning as they must while you travel through life.

Maybe it's taking a long, hot bath to decompress after a week of work. Or perhaps following a skin care regimen makes you feel pampered. Or it may be as simple as scheduling a night to put on your coziest pajamas and watch a movie from start to end.

Make time for whatever it is you wish to do. If necessary, put it in your planner, but make it a priority to complete the task. OsiMagnesium Natural Products can help you effectively pamper yourself.

Give Up Grudges

This is often simpler to say than to do. However, it may be easier to get started if you remind yourself that you aren't doing it for anyone else but yourself. Sometimes granting forgiveness or letting go of resentment is more about self-care than compassion for others.

Consider your interpersonal connections. Do you hold hatred or ill will against someone? If so, consider contacting them in an effort to mend fences. This is not always a reconciliation. Possibly, you need to end the connection and move on.

If communication is not possible, try expressing your emotions in writing. You need not even mail it to them. The simple act of releasing your feelings into the world can be liberating. If you so choose, you can even shred the letter later.

Enjoy The Outdoors

According to one study, spending at least 30 minutes each week in green areas can reduce blood pressure and the risk of developing depression. Any place where you may relax and enjoy the outdoors and the beauty of nature count as your green area. Even better, incorporate outdoor exercise for added benefit. According to the same study, people who spent more time in green places exercised more regularly and for longer durations¹³.

The Bottom Line

Keeping your health in good shape is the only way to live a longer, happier life. This includes modifying your nutrition, engaging in physical activity, and managing stress. When you strike a balance between these factors, you will be able to eat well, move well, relax, and live a happy life. We have compiled a list of natural ways to take care of your overall health to live longer, but more importantly, to be the greatest version of yourself and live a happy, fulfilled life.