How to Incorporate Healthy Habits Into Your Daily Routine

There will always be good days and bad days in addiction recovery, and you’ll be on the journey for the rest of your life. The most important thing is to keep moving forward. One of the best strategies for accomplishing that is to make healthy living a priority.

But how do you turn healthy living into a habit? Urmston Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy has some practical suggestions for you.

Redefine “Fun”

For many people in recovery, the word “fun” conjures up images of drinking or using drugs. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are plenty of fun activities that don’t involve substances. Experiment until you find something that you really enjoy and make it a regular part of your life. Here are a few things you can do with or without other people:

• Go for a walk in the park.
• Go out to eat with friends.
• Visit a nearby museum.
• Take a yoga or fitness class.
• Have a picnic in your backyard or at a local park.

Spend Time With Positive People

The people you surround yourself with can make a big difference in your recovery. Spending time with positive people who support your sobriety can help you stay on track. Conversely, spending time with people who use drugs or drink alcohol can be tempting and can lead to a relapse. Choose your friends wisely!

Create a Healthy Morning Routine

Starting your day off on the right foot can set the tone for the rest of the day. Establish a healthy morning routine that prepares you physically and mentally to face whatever challenges come your way. Eating a nutritious breakfast can do wonders for starting your day strong. Exercise, meditation, journaling, and reading inspirational quotes or passages from a sober living book can also help.

Create a Relaxing Nightly Routine

Just like a healthy morning routine can help set the tone for the rest of the day, a nightly routine can help promote better sleep. Getting enough quality sleep is essential for recovery because it helps lower stress levels and improves concentration and focus.

A few things you might want to try as part of your nightly routine include: disconnecting from electronics an hour before bedtime, reading before bed instead of watching television, and journaling about your day to help clear your mind before going to sleep. Start making changes to your nights, and you’ll quickly realize what works and what doesn’t.

If you are still struggling with sleep, consider working with Urmston Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy for their four-session Sleep Well program. They combine routine, goals, and self-hypnotherapy into a routine that improves your sleep quality.

Work Out and Eat Well

Eating healthy foods and exercising regularly are essential for overall health and well-being, but they can also play a role in addiction recovery. Working out releases endorphins with mood-boosting properties that can help manage stress and anxiety, two common triggers for relapse. Eating nutritious foods gives your body the energy it needs to heal and repair itself, which is an important part of recovery.

Here are a few quick start tips to consider:

• Eat a balanced diet of healthy foods.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Avoid processed foods and sugary drinks.
• Find a physical activity you enjoy and make it a regular part of your life.
• Join a local fitness class or club for accountability and socialization.

Practice Gratitude

A daily gratitude practice has been shown to improve mental health by increasing feelings of happiness and well-being while decreasing feelings of anxiety and depression. Gratitude has also been linked to increased self-esteem and improved relationships with others. Start each day by listing five things you’re thankful for — no matter how small — to shift your focus from negative thoughts to positive ones, setting the stage for a more productive day ahead.

Find Your Ideal Routine

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for maintaining sobriety, but incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine can certainly help. Redefining “fun,” spending time with positive people, creating healthy morning and evening routines, working out and eating well, and practising gratitude are all habits that can lead to a happier, healthier life in recovery. Take it one day at a time, and witness the results!

Charley Sunday