How to be healthier: 5 helpful tips

Here are five simple health tips to follow if you’re wondering how to be healthier. They take minimal effort, but can make all the difference in ensuring your body keeps working well – for as long as possible!

#1 Go for a walk

If you’re juggling work and kid commitments, fitting in even 15 minutes to exercise can be a challenge. However, regular exercise is important if you’re looking for ways to live a healthier lifestyle.

If you’re wondering how to be healthier, going for a walk is certainly a good place to start. And, if you can’t seem to fit it into your morning or evening, take a short walk during your lunch break. It’s a super simple way to incorporate some physical activity into your day, and provide a mental break.

Or, why not work a walk into your social schedule? Grab a friend for a good catch-up sesh and choose a route that works for you – even if it means your destination is a cool cafe! There are tons of great places to walk here in Singapore; keep things interesting by choosing a new setting every time.

Of course, there are many other ways to squeeze exercise into your daily routine – even with a packed schedule. Taking the stairs instead of the lift is a great way to get some extra cardio in, as is ditching the MRT for a walk instead. Another good way to get some walking in – walk around the house while you’re on the phone!

#2 Make sure to move from (or at) your desk

Many of us make our living sitting at a desk or in front of a computer. Then, we spend the night binge-watching shows on the sofa.

Make yourself step away from the desk during the workday, or at least move at your desk every hour. Here are some ideas on how:

• Don’t make it convenient: Get up to grab a coffee from the machine down the hall, or water from the water cooler.
• Use a smaller cup: You’ll need to go for a refill more often, which will force you to get up and move!
• Drink more: Of course, staying hydrated is essential to your health; but drinking more also means getting up more frequently to walk to the loo!
• Move while you microwave: If you heat your lunch at work, move around while you do it. Whether that means going for a walk down the hall, doing a few squats in your office or marching in place for five minutes, it’s up to you!

Here are some simple exercises you can do at your desk to get the blood flowing:

Ankle rotation

1. Seated with both feet on the floor in front of you, raise both heels and hold for three seconds.
2. Repeat 10 or more times.
3. Repeat the lifts, but raise the toes of both feet this time.

Calf stretch

1. Sitting down with both feet on the floor, stretch one leg out in front of you.
2. Lift your toes toward you and bend your ankle. Hold the stretch for three to five seconds, then lower your foot back to the floor.
3. Repeat a dozen times or more.
4. Then, repeat with the other leg.

Don’t underestimate the power of stretching! Stretch when you get out of bed in the morning, and stretch when you’re at your desk. It’s simple, but crucial. Stretching regularly can help increase flexibility, improve your posture and help with blood circulation. All goes towards to being healthier and can also help reduce stress and back pain, according to studies.

#3 Unplug an hour before bedtime

Quality sleep is essential to optimal health. And, while there are many different causes of sleep disturbance, studies have shown a strong correlation between increased stimulation through electronic devices and sleep disruption.

So, if you’re wondering how to lead a healthier lifestyle overall, start by adopting healthier sleep hygiene habits. Try ditching your phone, tablet or laptop before bedtime. They can all distract and keep you awake, stimulating your brain and keeping you from that quality sleep you need. Therefore, it’s important to establish a relaxing bedtime routine that avoids any activities that can lead to anxiety. (And there’s always a social media post that’s sure to do that!)

#4 Take preventative measures

There are many ways we can maintain our body and prevent physical issues getting to a point where we need surgery. Osteopathy is a great option for this. Making sure you’re walking evenly (by regular adjustments) will prevent uneven wear and tear on the hips further down the line. After childbirth is a great time to have a session too, to see if anything has gone out of line.

It’s also good if you’re on a computer all day or sitting down a lot. Musculoskeletal fatigue and pressure on the neck’s nerve supply can cause pain in the neck, leading to the arms and hands. It puts more pressure on your shoulders, neck and upper back muscles, and even on your spine. Regular osteopathy can reset these areas, get the blood flowing through

#5 Ensure that you’ve got the coverage you need for a healthier lifestyle

Just because you’ve got health insurance in Singapore doesn’t mean it’s the right coverage for you. And, if you’ve got coverage through work, chances are it’s not enough to sufficiently cover the needs of your entire family. This is because many employer-provided health insurance plans are limited, and do not include dental, maternity, outpatient or preventative health care benefits.  Especially if you’re an expat (i.e. don’t have MediShield) you may want to consider buying private health insurance to supplement your work-provided plan.

Insurance for expats in Singapore

Top-up insurance is a tailored insurance solution that can supplement where your existing plan’s benefits are lacking, says the team at Pacific Prime Singapore.  For example, you could purchase a top-up insurance plan to add more coverage so you don’t have to pay for treatment out of pocket if you exceed the annual maximum limit on your employer-provided insurance plan.

Similarly, you can add insurance benefits for conditions that aren’t covered, or additional features like dental, vision and maternity insurance. For expats, this can be particularly useful, as foreigners don’t have access to public healthcare options like Singaporeans do.

What’s more, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve got health coverage outside of Singapore, too. If you purchase a comprehensive international health insurance plan, you can have your medical costs in Singapore and around the world covered with just one plan.

It can be very helpful to go over your options with a broker who works with a range of insurance providers such as Pacific Prime Singapore. Get in touch for impartial advice and a free plan comparison today.

Pacific Prime Singapore
18 Cross Street, #09-02
6346 3781 | pacificprime.sg

For more health tips and articles like this, head to our Health & Fitness section!