If you are interested in becoming healthier physically, there are a number of routes you can go. The most effective way to improve your physical health will likely be through exercise and dietary changes. We all know about these, going to the gym, going for a run, or even just a walk around the neighborhood on a normal basis will do wonders for helping improve your stamina and strength while combining it with a healthier diet will lead to better overall health and weight regulation.

But, besides these somewhat obvious changes, what else can you do to improve your health?

Let’s take a peek at some of the less-talked-about ways that you can work to improve yourself physically.

Meditation 

While this may seem like a mental health tip, meditation is actually something that can help improve various physical attributes as well. Research suggests that meditative practices can help improve and manage symptoms related to:

• Asthma
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure and more

While meditation should never be used as a replacement for medications and traditional medical treatments, it can still be a helpful complement to these things.

Reduce Alcohol Consumption 

This one may seem obvious to some, but alcohol can have disastrous effects on your body and brain. Alcohol affects nearly every organ in the body and can lead to a number of various physical health problems including:

• Arrythmia
• Stroke

• Liver cirrhosis
• Increased risk of cancer

These are often long-term health effects from alcohol. Along with these, things like binge drinking can lead to more immediate issues like increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases and car crashes. For your health, it is best to put the bottle down and look at other alternatives.

Drink More Water 

This is something that doesn’t get talked about enough. Water and hydration is vital for a number of regulatory processes and for proper body functioning. For example, water helps regulate body temperature, lubricate the joints, protect the spinal cord, and more.

It will also help prevent dehydration – a major health issue that can lead to mood changes, unclear thinking, hyperthermia, constipation, and kidney stones.

One of the best ways to encourage yourself to drink more water regularly is to keep a reusable water bottle on hand.

Get Proper Sleep 

Most adults need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. It is vital that you get the proper amount of sleep as it can help with a number of physical health improvements, including:

• Getting sick less often

• Weight regulation
• Lower risk for diabetes and heart disease
• Think more clearly

If you are looking to make improvements to increase your sleep quality, there are a few things that you can try. One of the most effective ways to get proper sleep is to establish a sleep schedule and stick to it. If you get your body adjusted to going to bed at a certain time, it will learn and start to function with this in mind, allowing you to get the proper 8 hours each night if you time it right. Along with setting a sleep schedule, one important thing to do is avoid screens before bed. The blue light on your phone or computer can make it more difficult for the brain to power off and go into sleep mode. Be aware of this when settling in for bed.

Here are four things that you can do to help improve your physical health. While, they may not seem like anything particularly life-changing, the compounding of these changes as well as increased exercise and dieting can do wonders for your physical and mental health.