According to a study by Phillippa Lally, a health psychology researcher at University College London, it takes on average 66 days to form a new habit. This means that establishing a new habit isn’t easy. I think that it’s certainly worth keeping this in mind when making changes to improve health and happiness.  Then you can be realistic about the level of commitment needed and this will help you to achieve the goals that you set for yourself.

As regular readers will know I have diagnoses of chronic fatigue syndrome and autism. This means that I struggle with daily health issues, which sometimes make it hard for me to care for myself and my family and to enjoy life fully. Recently I decided I wanted to make some changes, to hopefully improve my symptoms, give me more energy and help me to stay calm. I am sharing my changes here because I think they’re all changes which would benefit most people who are looking to improve their physical or mental health.

Five Healthy Habits;

Yoga. Two months ago I started a daily yoga practise. I find morning is the best time for me to practise yoga. I get up half an hour earlier to do my 20 minute yoga practise. I use Sarah Beth’s You Tube channel. I really enjoy her style and her teaching is easy to follow. She has her videos organised by length, and I can choose from options like morning yoga, yoga for flexibility, yoga for detox and more. I’d really recommend a daily yoga practise as it helps me to feel physically well and mentally centred.

Warm Lemon Water. I drink a cup of warm water with added lemon in the morning. There are many health benefits to drinking warm water with lemon. It can aid digestion, detox your system, clear your skin, give your immune system a boost, and help maintain a healthy weight.

Walking; If the weather is fine I aim for a twenty minute walk each day. I think it’s easy to feel a bit all or nothing about exercise, to put pressure on ourselves to be running or hitting the gym. Walking has many health benefits, it’s free and easy to fit into my daily schedule.

Alone/relaxation time; Many people live hectic lives and can be on the go all the time. I know that when my time is over scheduled I end up feeling overstimulated and stressed. So I’ve started taking time out of my day to focus on being alone, in a reasonably quiet room with reduced stimulation. I find this rejuvenating, and it helps me to stay calm throughout the rest of my day. Pick an activity which is low stimulation and a place that is comfortable and quiet.

Multivitamins; I think the key with multivitamins is to invest the money in a good quality brand. I take a solgar multivitamin especially formulated for women. I started taking this around year ago and have definitely noticed increased energy levels as a result of taking it.

These are the changes I have made to my daily routine over the last few months. I feel that committing to these habits will help me to maintain improved energy levels and enjoy good mental health.

If you would like to commit to adding some healthy habits into your routine I’d recommend making a list of the things you want to do and the benefits of these habits. Then  you can refer to the list whenever you’re feeling like you can’t commit to remind yourself why you’re doing it. Finally whatever you decide to do make it a realistic and achievable goal.