Following healthy habits is important for feeling your best, especially if you have a disability. Simple actions like exercising daily, eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, and spending your time doing something you enjoy can have a significant impact on your overall sense of well-being. These healthy habits can make it easier to manage your disability while reducing your risk of illness and disease. Here are a few easy head-to-toe health strategies to incorporate into your life!
Find Joy in Dance
Believe it or not, dance is an excellent form of exercise for those with disabilities. Beyond this, dancing can help you express yourself and build confidence in your abilities. Companies like Dancing Wheels exist to improve accessibility in the arts so people with disabilities can enjoy all that dance has to offer. Participating in the arts can even help you learn key skills like teamwork and problem-solving that will enable you to thrive in a business setting. Consider signing up for an accessible dance class and discover a new way to get your body moving!
Pursue a New Professional Path
Work stress can make life miserable. More often than not, work stress follows us home and seeps into many other aspects of life. If you’re in a job that’s causing a lot of stress, it’s time for a career change. Consider going back to school and pursuing something that excites you! Medical coding, for example, is an interesting and accessible career in the medical industry that involves assigning codes to medical procedures. If this sounds like something you might want to do, there are several medical coding classes you can complete online that will teach you all the skills you need to find work in the industry.
Invest in Healthy Home Products
Your home environment has a bigger impact on your well-being than you might realize. GreenDrop explains that household clutter, for example, tends to create stress and tension. And if you have a disability, clutter can be downright dangerous. Spend some time decluttering your home, keeping only items that serve you.
After purging your things, you may want to invest in a few high-quality health products to turn your home into a healthy living space. For example, you could build a home gym in an empty corner featuring disability-friendly workout equipment. Consider also buying a few kitchen gadgets that make cooking easier. This can encourage you to cook more healthy meals at home! Before buying products for your family, be sure to read in-depth reviews from unbiased sources.
Maintain Good Sleep Hygiene
Getting enough sleep every night is essential for maintaining good health and feeling mentally balanced throughout the day. However, people with disabilities often struggle with sleep issues. According to The Snozzle, adults with disabilities tend to get less sleep than those without disabilities. Sticking to a good sleep hygiene routine is one of the best ways to combat sleep problems. Sleep hygiene refers to the daily routines that support high-quality, uninterrupted sleep. Here are a few sleep hygiene practices to get you started:
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Remove electronics from your bedroom
- Don’t drink coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages after lunch.
- Exercise every day.
Make Simple Healthy Food Swaps
Unfortunately, people with disabilities have a higher risk of developing health issues as a result of poor diet choices. But healthy eating can significantly improve your quality of life! Making simple food swaps in your regular diet is the easiest way to get more nutrients. For example, try to drink water instead of soda and fruit juice, reach for popcorn instead of chips, and swap mayo for protein-rich hummus.
If you want a better quality of life, look no further than healthy lifestyle habits. People with disabilities can enjoy countless benefits from making healthy food swaps, prioritizing good sleep hygiene, pursuing professional goals, and investing in high-quality health products. Start incorporating some of these tips into your daily life right away!
Are you looking for new disability-friendly ways to exercise? Join us at Dancing Wheels for fully accessible in-studio and online dance classes. Visit our website to register today!
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