There are few topics as controversial as the millennial generation. We’re often discussed and presented as either heroes or villains of the world, but the truth is far more simple, we’re human, and we’re doing all that we can to make it in this chaotic world. The struggling job market and the aftereffects of recession make our daily lives nerve-racking and more than a little frightening, and we’ve learned to put our careers ahead of our own wellbeing. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly a sustainable idea that can push us through problems, and more and more young women are experiencing declining health as a result of their stressful lives.
However, there’s much to be done to change the situation. Any millennial woman who wishes to improve her wellbeing can absolutely do it, but she needs to know how to go about it. Luckily, with a few tips and lifestyle changes you can get where you need to be, so let us help you by showing you how to make the right steps.
Take time to be mindful
Apparently, more than half of millennial women wish to invest more time in self-care. It’s obvious that we’re slowly becoming aware that life’s not supposed to be about running around at a break-neck speed and feeling anxious all the time—sometimes we have to slow down, take a deep breath, take a break. Mindfulness is the first step towards recovery because it helps us nurture good mental health and there’s nothing more important than emotional stability and resilience. Of course, the best way to practice mindfulness is through meditation and similar practices that teach us to let go of that pent-up negative energy and frustration.
To get started, you can use apps like Headspace that will give you a guided meditation track to listen to and make it easy to learn the basics, but you can also simply take ten minutes to sit in silence and focus on your breathing. Bear in mind that meditation is a skill that takes time to grasp, so don’t worry if you don’t immediately pick it up.
Multitask while you exercise
Physical activity is very important for us because it improves our cardiovascular health, lowers our cortisol levels (which means less stress), and generally makes us look and feel good in our own skin. Depending on how old you are, it can also increase your chance of natural conception, so if you’ve been planning to start a family, there are great benefits to hitting the gym or doing home workouts. If you have trouble finding the time and motivating yourself to stick to a routine, try multitasking by pairing your workout with some of your favourite activities.
For example, listening to audio books while you take a long walk is a great idea because it allows you to finally catch up on your reading. You can also watch Netflix while you’re on a treadmill, you can listen to a podcast, or you can blast your favourite playlist as you do cardio at home. Use technology to help you make workouts fun, and you’ll come to cherish them.
Plan your meals
If you want to commit to eating healthy food, start by getting a journal. In it, you can plan out your own diet and write down every meal you can realistically prepare on a certain day and then cook those dishes in advance. An even better idea is to use apps like MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, Fitocracy, and others for this purpose because most of these apps can help you calculate your BMI, figure out your goal weight, and keep track of calories you ate during the day. You can also sync them up with your workout routines and really become aware of how you can benefit your body each day.
Boost your energy with a good sleeping pattern
More energy means more motivation, and more motivation means that you’ll actually get things done. It’s time to finally get some sleep, and if you want to avoid insomnia or daily fatigue, try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day, even on weekends. Taking Saturday to “catch up on your sleep” only disrupts your pattern and makes it more difficult to wake up properly on work days, so keep going to bed early if you need more rest.
Also, limit the use of your phone right before bedtime because the bright glare can keep you awake, and try wearing a sleep mask over your eyes to block out all the light and signal your brain it’s time for it to shut down.
Monitor your health
Don’t postpone your doctor appointments! You need to see your GP every once in a while to make sure everything’s okay and get advice on how to deal with medical issues. Another thing you can do to keep track of your health is to use technology. Apps such as Flo and Clue allow you to monitor your menstrual cycles and log in symptoms such as headaches, cramps, and bloating, and they’re very useful for all women, especially those who are looking to conceive. Health Tap allows you to pose questions to a database of real doctors, and Happify helps you take care of your mental health. The apps we mentioned in the section about healthy eating are also really useful and good to have on your phone.
Remember, it’s difficult to get your health back once it’s gone. Put your wellbeing at the very top of your priorities, and you’ll start enjoying your life a lot more.
This story was originally published on The Carousel.
