Some lifestyle choices can make a big difference

Some lifestyle choices can make a big difference when it comes to your mental and physical well-being and the quality of your life.

1. Get moving

If you want to feel healthier, more energized, or in a better mood, get moving. Regular exercise can benefit both your physical and mental health in a multitude of ways.

2. Eat more whole foods (and less processed food)

Whole foods are foods that haven’t been heavily processed or altered. They don’t contain a lot of added chemicals or artificial ingredients to help them taste good or give them a long shelf-life.

3. If you smoke, try to quit

Smoking is the leading causeTrusted Source of preventable death in the United States. According to the CDC, tobacco use accounts for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. each year. In fact, it’s estimated that smokers, on average, die about 10 yearsTrusted Source earlier than nonsmokers.

4. Make sleep a priority

Sleep is vital for every process in your body. Sleep is a time for your body to repair cells and restore energy. Your brain also performs many essential functions while you’re sleeping, like storing information, removing waste, and strengthening nerve cell connections.

5. Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water each day is key to good health. Your body needs water for many important functions, like maintaining your body temperature, aiding digestion, keeping your organs working properly, and delivering nutrients to all your cells.

6. If you drink alcohol, do so responsibly

While an occasional alcoholic drink likely won’t affect your health, drinking too much alcohol can take a heavy toll on many of your organs.

7. Make preventive care a priority

Preventive care is the care you get from your doctor to stay healthy. While you may typically think of your doctor as the person you see when you’re ill, your doctor also plays a key role in keeping you healthy and preventing you from getting sick or developing a chronic disease in the first place.

8. Know your numbers

One of the advantages of preventive care is that your doctor will screen you for several key measurements, including your:

body mass index (BMI)

blood pressure (hypertension)

cholesterol and triglycerides

fasting blood glucose

9. Manage stress in a healthy way

Stress is a normal part of everyday life and, when it’s short-lived, it can be useful. But, chronic stress can affect you mentally, physically, and emotionally. Research has shown that high levels of ongoing stress have been associated withTrusted Source an increased risk ofTrusted Source:

high blood pressure

heart disease and stroke

depression

a weakened immune system

Although stress is often unavoidable, you do have a choice in how you handle it.

10. Practice safe sex

If you’re sexually active or have been in the past, it’s important that you’re proactive about getting screened for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Some sexually transmitted diseases don’t cause noticeable symptoms until weeks, months, or possibly even years later. By then, you may have passed it on to someone else. And, it may also be harder to treat the disease when it’s not caught early. That’s why it’s important to get tested often.

Communication is key when it comes to safe sex. Talk openly with your partner about your sexual past and any STI diagnosis you’ve had. Before having sex with a new partner, consider getting tested for STIs, along with your partner, and discuss your barrier method preferences.

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