How to Improve Your Quality of Life at Home

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What one person may consider as being significant to their quality of life would most likely differ from another. However, some elements cut across the divide, regardless of the differences in lifestyles, beliefs, or backgrounds. According to USNews.com in September 2020, the US dropped back by twelve points (from 16th to 28th) on the global quality of life rankings. I assume this means that the current pandemic has affected the quality of life for many Americans through business shutdowns and restrictions imposed by the government.

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Since much of the world is spending more time at home, we are all looking for ways to improve quality of life at home. Here are a few tips-

Focus on eating nutritious foods

What you eat determines how healthy you will be. If you have a habit of ignoring your meals’ content, remember that your diet directly influences your quality of life. Besides water and oxygen, good nutrition is a fundamental element of human existence and sustenance. Without it, you are on the way to having avoidable medical conditions related to malnutrition or diabetes or other ailments. However, it would help if you kept in mind that your living standard should have a marginal effect on what you consume. Basic superfoods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, and chicken are readily available and inexpensive at the grocery. Focus on these nutritional foods and cut back on sugars, fats, and salts.

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Workout at home

Many people tend to be motivated by what they see around them which explains why having workout equipment or weights at home could help you stay in shape. There is no need for you to get complicated, expensive, and huge gym equipment that takes up so much room. Instead, you can get a treadmill, resistance belt, dumbbells, etc. Any affordable, portable workout equipment that would help you exercise at home would suffice. You might only need a comfortable yoga mat and some YouTube workout videos to follow along. Being active, as opposed to living a relatively sedentary lifestyle comes with so many benefits that can improve your quality of life. 

Studies have shown that regular exercise has a positive impact on your mental and physical health. Besides being a great and safe way of shedding a few pounds, it improves your mood, memory, and curbs anxiety. This is because exercise helps the body release the feel-good hormone Dopamine. You are not required to transform into a gym rat or a fitness fanatic to reap the several benefits that a thirty-minute workout offers. More importantly, you will find many healthy routines you can adopt at home and stick to them. If you cannot afford any exercising equipment for whatever reason, a daily walk or jog around your neighborhood is a great alternative.

Maintain your wellbeing with alternative pain management methods

You may face chronic pain at some point in life. It’s bad enough to deal with pandemic depression but adding chronic pain and isolation can make it worse. When chronic pain refuses to respond to medications, you may want to consider alternative treatment methods to give you some long-lasting relief. Frequently consuming painkillers can be harmful and can eventually reduce your quality of life. The major chronic pain complaints in the US include pain in the back, shoulder, neck, waist, hip, and spinal arthritis syndrome. As you look for these alternative pain management methods, be aware that there are specialist clinics that offer neck pain treatment and many other nonsurgical solutions to modern day chronic conditions.

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Get at least eight hours of good sleep, regularly

I know, I know, easier said than done. Good sleep is as a result of your body naturally coming to rest without medications or “inducers” like alcohol. For many, a glass of wine before bed is no big deal. However, taking in alcohol before bed interferes with the brain and body by slowing both down. That does not mean it can help you induce quality sleep. To establish a better sleep experience, experts recommend setting a specific time to go to bed. Be sure to turn off any electronics well before this time. Even when you feel wide awake at the designated sleep time, self-discipline is required to stick to the schedule. Experts have also suggested that a night of good quality sleep involves a deep sleep experience with all the five stages involved. For adults, this should be a consistent eight hours. Adequate sleep is beneficial to your mental, emotional, and physical health. 

Set time aside for leisure time

Contrary to what you may be thinking, leisure time does not necessarily mean making time to be lazy. After all, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!” In the midst of your business schedules or house chores, you need to take some time off to relax and do things you enjoy. This is not always possible all the time, but always focusing on work can make you tired and unable to meet your goals which would in turn stress you out. Medical research shows that taking time to relax drastically reduces stress. In addition to that, it improves your mood and sharpens your memory. Take a moment to assess what makes you happy. Is it spending time with family, reading, going for a swim, or simply chatting with your social network? Whatever that may be for you, the guiding point should be that this activity is pleasurable and allows you to de-stress.

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Get rid of any material thing that doesn’t serve you 

Let’s face it, Marie Kondo is a genius! If something isn’t “sparking joy” in your home right now, give it away, sell it, just get the clutter out of your home and out of your heart and mine! I bet right now in your home, you are bound to identify some unneeded material things. It could be old clothes from your closet, unused kitchen appliances, or some living room décor. The purpose of decluttering is to create space while bringing order to your home. Have you ever experienced the joy after conducting a clean-up at home? It can help you feel lighter and happier for doing something good for yourself. In the same way, giving away what you don’t need brings you a sense of helping others. You might be able to make money if you organized a yard sale for the items you declutter. 

Your quality of life at home depends on many things you can and are willing to do. It may not be advisable to imitate what your closest friend or sibling does to improve their lives at home. Remember that you are unique, and that is what matters the most. Nonetheless, the points mentioned above are guidelines you can adopt as you carve your path to improved quality of life at home.

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