5 Small Sustainable Habits Mothers Can Do For A Healthier Life

As a mother, it's easy to put your health and wellness on the back burner while you focus on taking care of your family. However, establishing small, sustainable habits is essential for our overall health and wellbeing. Not only does it benefit us, but it also sets a good example for our children. We’re sharing some science-proven methods for establishing small, sustainable habits for a healthier life.

5 small sustainable habits mothers can do for a healthier life

#1: Start small and be consistent

It can be challenging to find time to focus on our health and wellness. However, making small changes to our daily routine can make a big difference in the long run. If you try to go from zero to 100 then you’re going to burn out and the routine will probably only last a day or two.

For example, if you want to start exercising more, start with a 10-minute workout each day and gradually increase the time and intensity. It's essential to be consistent and set aside time each day or week to focus on our health and wellness goals.

#2: Incorporate movement throughout the day

Incorporating movement throughout the day is crucial for our health and wellbeing. Science has shown that sitting for extended periods can lead to numerous health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Exercise can also improve your mental health and is a natural mood booster: when you exercise, your body releases feel-good hormones & neurotransmitters which encourage a better mood. Here’s a quick breakdown of what they are and what they do:

1. Endorphins: These block pain and increase sensations of pleasure

2. Endocannabinoids: These neurotransmitters are thought to be responsible for that “runner’s high” — the feeling of calm euphoria that occurs after a strenuous workout

3. Dopamine: Research is limited on what types of exercise release dopamine, but it does play an important role in how pleasure is felt. It also regulates heart rate, sleep cycles, mood, attention, motivation, working memory, learning, and pain processing 

4. Cortisol: Alongside all those amazing feel-good hormones — endorphins, endocannabinoids, and dopamine — doing exercise also releases cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone that your adrenal glands produce. Cortisol affects a few different things in your body, but it mainly helps regulate your body’s response to stress.

As a mama, it's easy to spend the majority of our day sitting while taking care of baby, and families, and working from a laptop. However, small changes, such as taking a walk after dinner or doing a quick workout during nap time, can help us incorporate more movement into our day.

#3: Prioritize sleep

Getting enough sleep is essential for our overall health and wellbeing. Sleep is as important to your mental and physical health as eating well or drinking water, and fatigue and poor sleep can underpin other mental health problems like anxiety and stress. Lack of sleep can also affect our concentration, relationships, and mood and some studies have shown that lack of sleep can lead to numerous health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

We know that prioritizing sleep can be easier said than done. Try to establish a consistent sleep routine, limit caffeine, and avoid screens before bedtime to help improve the quality and quantity of our sleep. Read our 5 tips for a better night’s sleep here. 

#4: Focus on nutrient-dense foods

It's easy to prioritize our children's nutrition over our own. However, focusing on nutrient-dense foods is essential for our overall health and wellbeing. Science has shown that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help reduce the risk of numerous physical health problems, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Eating well can also improve your mental health, and research shows that the better we eat, the more nutrients we have, and the better our mental health.

Small changes, such as swapping processed snacks for fresh fruit or adding vegetables to meals, can make a big difference. Here are 8 Nutrients And 50 Foods To Help Your Mental Health.

#5: Practice self-care

As mothers, it's easy to put our own needs last, but practicing self-care is essential for our overall health and wellbeing. Practicing self-love every day promotes healthy physical and emotional well-being and allows you to be a better you – which ultimately means you can be at your best for those around you. Research shows that self-care can also:

• Relieve stress and anxiety by occupying your mind 

• Improve your cognitive abilities, especially self-care practices like mindfulness

• Provide alone time, which in turn can spark creativity, and increase productivity and empathy 

• Increase energy

However, small changes, such as taking a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness or scheduling time for a massage or other self-care activity, can help reduce stress and improve our overall wellbeing. Read more about The Benefits of Self-Love: How Self-Care Enhances Mental Health & Wellbeing.

The takeaway.

It's essential to establish small, sustainable habits for our overall health and wellbeing. By starting small and being consistent, incorporating movement throughout the day, prioritizing sleep, focusing on nutrient-dense foods, and practicing self-care, we can improve our health and set a good example for our children. Remember, small changes can make a big difference in the long run.

What small sustainable habits do you practice? Let us know in the comments!

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