Want to feel happier and healthier, but don't know where to start? Often, it's the simplest lifestyle tweaks that can be the most transformative. 'Small changes really can yield big benefits in terms of better mood, improved sleep, a sharper brain and reduced disease risk,' explains Dr Michael Mosley in his new book, Just One Thing. As you would expect from the man famous for putting the latest health and diet trends to the test, his simple habit changes are designed to have the most impact with the least effort.
1 WHEN YOU WAKE Have an early-morning walk
Getting out and about first thing - within an hour or two of getting up-can improve your sleep, boost your mood, increase your fitness, and cut your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Heading out early means that you get the health benefits not only of the exercise, but also of exposure to natural light. And if you go for your walk in a green space, like a wood or a park, even better.
As well as exposing you to lots of light, any walk-short, long, fast or slow - will strengthen muscles and bones, reduce joint and muscular pain, burn a few calories and increase energy levels. If you want to supercharge your daily walk, just speed it up to the sort of pace you'd use if you were in a hurry to get somewhere. A brisk walk means aiming to be doing around 100 paces a minute, which you will find easier to achieve if you listen to music with a suitable beat.
2 MID-MORNING Take deep breaths
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