There are a lot of potential reasons why you might not be feeling well. Sometimes it’s because you have a bug or, in some cases, a different illness that can last longer. But you might also be feeling unwell because of other conditions, poor sleep, stress, or because you’re overweight or underweight.
In any case, it’s completely normal to want to feel better. So here are a few steps you can take to improve your health.
1. Get a Checkup
If you are regularly unwell or you have symptoms that worry you and that you can’t shift by yourself, you need to go to the doctor. A checkup will look at your general health, including your blood pressure, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels. These are good signs to determine how healthy someone is.
You’ll also have a chance to talk to a doctor about your symptoms, concerns, and family history. While your poor health could be due to things you can control yourself, it could also be an illness or a condition that needs additional treatment.
Improving your general health will always make you feel better, even if you do have a chronic condition. But if you need medical treatment, the only way to get it is to get a diagnosis. Some conditions can also be controlled with lifestyle changes, but you’ll only know what you need to do by consulting a doctor.
2. Beating Bugs at Home
This isn’t to say that you need to rush to the doctor every time you’re ill. We get bugs and short, minor illnesses all the time. Most of these are infectious diseases like the common cold or a stomach bug, and the best way to recover is to just ride out the symptoms and let your body fight it off.
If you want to give your immune system a better fighting chance, make sure you get plenty of rest. Fluids are also important, as a lot of these bugs can cause you to get a fever and to lose more fluids than you would normally, so keep yourself hydrated. If possible, isolate yourself so other people don’t catch the same bug. You can also take vitamins and medication to relieve the symptoms.
While these bugs aren’t something to worry about, if you think you get sick often and you take longer to recover than other people or have more severe symptoms, it could be a sign that you have a compromised immune system. In this case, you might want to speak to a doctor.
3. Seasonal Illnesses and Allergies
As well as bugs, you might also find the seasons affect your health. There are a few conditions that are tied to seasons, such as:
- Seasonal Affective Disorder (low mood in winter)
- Hayfever (pollen or grass seed allergy)
- Migraines (can be triggered by changes in pressure)
There’s not much you can do about the seasons themselves, but you can support your health at these times. For example, if you have persistent and severe hayfever, you might need to see anallergy specialist, especially if over-the-counter medications don’t work. The same applies if you have allergic reactions and don’t know why, which can happen with some allergens like latex. While this isn’t strictly seasonal, it can be serious if untreated.
Once you learn what’s causing certain symptoms, you can adjust for them. You may need to take medication to prevent migraines or keep some migraine-busting meds on you during storm seasons, and you might need to be more aware of your mood and potentially use a sunlamp during winter.
4. Improving Your Sleep
If you’re perpetually tired, suffer with headaches most days, and are irritable and find it harder to think than you should, it’s entirely possible that you’re just not sleeping properly.
Sleep is incredibly important for general health, but a huge percentage of people suffer with chronic sleep deprivation. Different people need different amounts of sleep, but most people need around 6-9 hours of sleep each night to feel well.
When we sleep, our body recovers from the rigors of the day, and we also process information we’ve learned. If you’re not well, you need more sleep than usual because this is when you heal.
Try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day, and if you struggle with sleep, make sure to create a bedtime routine that works for you and helps you relax so yousleep better.
5. Alcohol, Drugs, and Smoking
Alcohol, non-prescription drugs, and cigarettes or vapes are all bad for your health.
Using non-prescription drugs is dangerous and potentially illegal, especially harder drugs that can have physical and mental effects on your health. Nicotine also affects your brain directly, making you more stressed. These products also have severe impacts on your cardiovascular health and can increase your risk of certain cancers.
While you can drink as part of a healthy lifestyle, alcohol isn’t healthy, and too much alcohol can be extremely damaging to your health.
Cutting down or stopping these habits will make you healthier.
6. Changing Your Diet
Another step is to think about what you eat and drink.
Your dietary needs will change depending on your activity level and your metabolism. Some people are underweight, which means they need to increase their calorie intake, while other people are overweight and should consider a smaller calorie intake.
As well ascalories, think about what’s in the food you eat. You should aim to have a well-balanced, nutritious diet, with enough calories for your goals.
7. Exercise
Humans are designed to move, and regular exercise is linked to better physical and mental health. This doesn’t mean you need to live at the gym, but doing at least 30 minutes of moderate activity a few times a week will do wonders for your health.
It can also help to have specific fitness goals to work towards, and make sure to find exercises that you enjoy.
8. Self-Care and Mental Health
Finally, you should consider how your mind and body link. If you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed, you can also feel physically unwell. So don’t forget about managing your mood and mental health, and give yourself moments of self-care.
Want to unlock greater wellness?
Listen to our friends over at the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast to unlock your best self with Dr. John Lieurance; Founder of MitoZen; creators of the ZEN Spray and Lumetol Blue™ Bars with Methylene Blue.
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