5 Easy Health Swaps That Help You Sleep Better, Stress Less and Feel Happier Every Day
Hint: A slow walk in nature may be better than a fast one—and it feels better too!
What could be easier than taking something you do already—like drinking milk or wearing an eye mask to bed—and making a small, simple swap to reap even more health benefits? Research suggests these all-natural tricks help improve your energy, lift your mood, sharpen your focus and age well without the extra effort!
5 simple swaps for better health
From sipping a different fruit juice to using a certain pen color, studies prove these oh-so-easy tweaks will make your health and happiness soar.
Boost longevity with a juice switch
If you tend to drink orange juice or apple juice with your morning meal, switching to pomegranate can slow (and even reverse) the aging of your brain, heart, muscles and bones. That’s the word from Italian scientists, who say the phytonutrients in this refreshing sip energize anti-aging genes in every cell of the body.
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More good news: Pomegranate juice contains gentle, natural ACE inhibitors. That means it can trim up to six points off your blood pressure if you enjoy 8 oz. daily.
Rev energy with creamier dairy
If you’re like us, you love the taste and texture of full-fat cheese, milk and yogurt. And enjoying at least two servings daily in place of low-fat varieties comes with a hidden benefit: French researchers say it can heighten blood sugar control, preventing sluggishness and helping you stay focused and energized all day long. Thanks go to a unique compound in dairy fat called trans-palmitoleic acid, which helps cells soak up and use blood glucose for fuel.
Another option for a speedy energy boost: Give yourself a little spritz of your favorite perfume. Malaysian investigators say smelling a much-loved scent stimulates the central nervous system to chase away weariness and brain fog in as little as 10 minutes.
Deepen sleep with a better eye mask
A simple eye mask can keep you snoozing long after the sun rises. But a heated eye mask could give you even better benefits. In fact, it could help you drift off in less than 10 minutes and reduce your risk of restless sleep and nighttime wake-ups, suggests a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. Experts say warming heat-sensitive blood vessels around the eyes relaxes muscles and lowers heart rate. Plus it activates a key sleep-deepening region of the brain.
Also smart? Massaging your wrists. Spending just a few minutes each evening gently massaging your wrists could help you sleep up to 70 percent more soundly at night, a Turkish research review suggests. The study authors say this targeted massage encourages the release of serotonin and endorphins, two hormones that help you feel calm and sleepy.
Curb stress with an exercise tweak
It’s true that jogging on a treadmill or going for a brisk walk will help you burn off stress. But you’ll get even better results if you enjoy a leisurely stroll around your garden instead, British researchers say. In their review of 24 studies, a relaxing 15-minute walk through a green space cut stress, tension and anxiety by as much as 80 percent.
That’s better results than 50-minute power walks provided. Researchers explain that combining nature exposure with gentle motion quickly dials down your production of the stress hormone cortisol.
Maximize focus with a red pen
Writing yourself a to-do list is a great way to stay organized and on-task when you’re facing a busy day (or week!). The catch? You’ll get far better results if you write lists using a red pen instead of a blue or black one. According to a study published in the journal Heliyon, reading notes written in red ink heightens brain wave activity, restoring focus and boosting memory and recall fast.
Another easy trick to try: Look up, down, left and then right. Slowly moving your head to stretch your neck muscles could help you feel instantly more alert and focused. Scientists reporting in the journal Sensors explain that gentle neck stretches prompt the release of focus-sharpening beta brain waves.
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