In this post, I want to talk about 10 timeless habits that will improve your health and energy if you’re in your 40s.
You will notice a big increase in energy level if you pick up 2 to 3 of these habits. When you have more energy, your stress comes down. You become more focused. Attention is the currency of productivity. You’ll be able to handle daily tasks in less time with less stress.
- Cut down on refined processed foods
Foods like white bread, soft drinks, cakes, ice cream, fries, etc., cause premature aging. Every time you consume these foods, your body gets a small dose of inflammation (the bad kind) in the form of high blood sugar, artificial additives, and microplastics. Over time, this weakens the immune system’s ability to manage stress, which in turn affects sleep quality and destroys energy.
The best advice is to cut down on these foods gradually for long-term success.
- Eat more whole foods
Eat more meat, seafood, beans, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Poor energy is often the result of missing nutrients as it is from stress. And all the more important when you hit 40. Your body takes longer to recover from physical exertion, fatigue, or injuries. Eating nutrient-dense foods will improve thinking, immune system, and metabolic health.
- Get enough protein
Aim for 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram (or 0.8-1g per pound) of body weight. Your body relies on protein for important functions like fast thinking, growing new cells, and regulating energy. Getting enough protein also helps maintain muscle mass, metabolic health, and cognitive function.
Whey protein powder is a good supplementation if you’re not getting enough from your normal diet.
- Stay hungry sometimes
Fasting increases your energy level through hormesis. When you fast, your body uses the downtime to get resourceful by recycling old damaged cells. This clean-up has two benefits. It reduces inflammation - white blood cells attack damaged cells, and more new mitochondria power your cells.
There are many intermittent fasting methods like 18/6 (fast 18 hours and eat for 6 hours), OMAD (one meal a day), 5-2 (eat 5 days normal 2 days low calories), and alternate day fast. No hard rules. Find one that works best for your schedule.
The only rule is to start slow. For example, if you eat 15 hours a day (7 am - 10 pm), start by reducing your eating window by one hour each week.
- Move
Move increases blood flow, flushes out toxins, releases endorphins, builds more mitochondria, and improves deep sleep.
Make walking part of your daily routine. Walk 10 minutes after a meal. It doesn’t have to be something extra. Likewalking up the escalator instead of standing.
If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, swing your hands.
- Resistant training
This is another way how small doses of physical stress make you healthy. Resistant exercises slow down muscle loss, increase bone density, and improve metabolic health. Muscles not only improve insulin sensitivity, it also reduce inflammation and support cognitive function.
The key to resistance training is progression. As your body adapts to the challenge, you can make the exercises harder through harder variation, increase repetition, add weights, or reduce rest time.
- Breathe slowly through your nose.
In and out of your belly. Slow, deep breath is a shield against stress. It activates your vagus nerve, relaxes the body, and calms your heart rate. Your body also releases nitric oxide (NO) in the naval cavity to increase lung capacity and widen your blood vessels for more oxygen uptake. I find that doing this before bedtime improves my sleep quality.
- Maintain a good posture.
More than just looking good in photos, good posture improves breathing. Good breathing means good energy and less fatigue. So avoid slouching when you’re sitting down or walking. Avoid sitting on the bed. And make a habit of getting up for a walk after every 15-20 minutes.
One way to improve your posture is to stretch. Stretches not only improve flexibility but address any weak muscles due to prolonged sitting.
- A growth mindset
Taking care of your mind is as important as your body. How you react is more important than what happened to you. How you think about things can either motivate or stress you.
I find it helpful when you see everything as challenges that can be figured out. Practicing a growth mindset reduces stress because you view challenges as something that you can work on and improve over time.
- Meditate
If fasting is a detox for the body, then meditation is a detox for the mind. Take 10 minutes out of your social media time every day to sit still, close your eyes, quiet your mind, and listen to your breathing. Meditation sensitizes the mind and heightens awareness. You become more mindful. Less reactive and more reflective.