I often emphasise the importance of being proactive about your physical and emotional health as you age. Today, I’m sharing five essential tips to improve your health and quality of life. After all, without our health, what do we have?

1. Prioritise Sleep

In our fast-paced, productivity-driven culture, sleep often gets sidelined. This mindset is counterproductive. Our bodies need sleep to repair, rejuvenate, and process the day’s events.

Quality sleep supports:

• Hormone production
• Immune system function
• Memory and thought processing
• Rest and digestion

Waking up refreshed, not exhausted, should be the goal. If improving your sleep is the only takeaway, it’s a success!

2. Make Strength Training Nonnegotiable

You don’t need to become a bodybuilder, but incorporating strength training into your routine is crucial. Muscle is vital for longevity and health. Adequate muscle mass can:

• Improve bone health
• Prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer
• Enhance metabolic health
• Boost physical resilience and independence

The lifelong benefits of building muscle cannot be overstated.

3. Eat Well, Focus on High Protein

Protein is essential for:

• Nearly every bodily function
• Feeling full longer
• Maintaining and building muscle
• Managing blood sugar
• Supporting heart, brain, bone, and immune health

Aim to get most of your protein from whole foods like eggs, lean meats, low-fat dairy, tofu, seitan, and lentils. Protein powder can supplement your intake.

4. Seek Purpose and Connectivity

Physical health is important, but so is having a sense of purpose and strong relationships. Research shows that close relationships and a meaningful life correlate with increased longevity and happiness.

5. Read Ingredient Lists Critically

Our bodies can store toxins, and with the rise in breast cancer since 2012, it’s wise to be mindful of what we consume and use. Avoiding harmful chemicals in food, health, and beauty products, and household items can improve your well-being. Swapping to safer options is easier than ever with online shopping.

I hope this list inspires you to focus on these areas if you haven’t already.

Thanks for reading

Louise xx

Read more about Louise here.