A sentiment that I have heard over the years from some of my older patients is: ‘If I had known that I was going to live this long, I’d have taken much better care of myself along the way.’
That’s one of my motivations for writing my new book, Things Your Future Self Will Thank You For – to spread the message of positive health and lifestyle medicine interventions, so that you are encouraged and empowered to take action now and don’t experience those same regrets in your future – and, more importantly, so you can reap the rewards of longer-term improved health and wellbeing. Staying independent, living your best life on your own terms in your own way, pursuing your dreams, living your purpose.
Who will you be in five years’ time if you keep doing what you’re doing right now? Apply this question to your health, your relationships, your career, your goals and your personal development. What habits could you build or break, starting today, that could open up new possibilities in your life?
As you look forward to your future, let your choices and decisions be guided by those things that you will thank yourself for. Here are 10 tried and tested suggestions that can lead to a better relationship with the future you; not perfect, but perhaps one per cent wiser, stronger, healthier, happier and more hopeful. Your future self starts today.
Become the CEO of your own health
Know yourself. Appreciate what’s normal for you (think bowels, waterworks, energy, sleep, mood and mental health) and get things checked out if you notice a change from your usual pattern. Get to grips with your family medical history and avail of a regular preventive check-up with your doctor. Be on the front foot: what gets measured gets managed – check blood pressure, blood sugar, pulse rate and belly size. The extra pounds that midlife can bring tend to accumulate around the belly area and are known as visceral fat. Visceral fat can put you at increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other metabolic conditions.
You can measure your belly size quite easily using a tape measure. With your belly relaxed, measure the circumference at the level of the belly button. This is not the same as your trouser size. For men, belly size should be less than 40 inches (102cm), and for women it should be less than 35 inches (89cm). Larger measurements indicate excess belly fat and an increased risk of health problems.
Drink great coffee
For many people, one of life’s simple pleasures is a perfect cup of coffee, while the flavoursome aromas and feelgood factor are enhanced exponentially when enjoyed in good company. A review of coffee, caffeine and health in the New England Journal of Medicine has highlighted how moderate coffee consumption of no more than four cups a day consistently correlates with a reduced risk of several chronic health conditions.
Take cold showers
A cold shower can be a wonderful morning ritual to build self-discipline, grit and resilience, raising your stress threshold and possibly even bringing other psychological benefits such as a reduced tendency to procrastinate. It’s a reminder that you have the power to choose small, actionable steps each day that enable you to live with more vitality and provides a “daily reset”, a way of stepping out of your comfort zone. In addition, a cold shower can lead to lower water consumption and a saving on your energy bills, making it good for the planet as well as your pocket. So why not give it a try?
Move as if your life depends on it
Have you taken any exercise yet today? Something as simple as climbing five flights of stairs a day can lower your risk of heart attack by up to 20 per cent. To inspire you, take a one-leg standing test to check your balance, a powerful prognosticator of how long and healthily you will likely live. Remove your shoes and, with hands on your hips, simply stand on one leg and time yourself. The test finishes when you put the raised foot down on the ground or move the planted foot. Do the best of three attempts to get your average time. Repeat on the other side. Now repeat the test with your eyes closed. This makes it much more difficult as your brain has to work harder to stay balanced.
Target scores per age category:
- Aged under 40: 45 seconds with eyes open, 15 seconds with eyes closed.
- Aged 40-49: 42 seconds with eyes open, 13 seconds with eyes closed.
- Aged 50-59: 41 seconds with eyes open, 8 seconds with eyes closed.
- Aged 60-69: 32 seconds with eyes open, 4 seconds with eyes closed.
- Aged 70-79: 22 seconds with eyes open, 3 seconds with eyes closed.·
Forest therapy
Spending time in nature regularly can reduce the risk of many chronic health conditions. It can lower blood pressure and heart rate and improve cardiac health. Time spent regularly in nature can increase your pain threshold, improve biological functions and boost energy, feelings of vigour and vitality. Time in nature also enhances empathy, compassion and altruism. It strengthens your sense of connection to the natural world, while fostering feelings of awe and transcendence. Yūgen is a Japanese term that translates as “mysterious profundity”, an intuitive feeling of how nature can encapsulate you in a transcendent way, not easily expressed in words. It is a sort of imaginative sixth sense that enables time in nature to inspire new ideas, boost creativity and shift perspectives.
Make time for awe
Awe isn’t limited to once-in-a-lifetime moments; it can be found in everyday experiences. Whether it’s the early morning dew, a magical sunrise, birdsong, a radiant sunset, windswept sand dunes or the simple smile of a baby, awe can be found wherever you choose to look. Allowing yourself the space to nurture daily micro-moments of awe is a powerful way to reconnect with the world in a positive way while enhancing your wellbeing.
Make every day a learning day
Einstein once famously said that he had no special talent except to be passionately curious. Genuine curiosity is a hallmark of lifelong learners, as it encourages you to keep asking better and more interesting questions. It fosters humility through an appreciation that there is so much to learn and that you don’t have all the answers. Ways to engage your love of learning include asking interesting questions, reading books, learning a new language, listening to a new podcast, joining a class, starting a new hobby or going to an event.
Make your bed
One of the problems with clutter is the visible reminder it provides that you are disorganised. It’s an ongoing reminder of what you are not doing, which is a recognised downward drag on your wellbeing. By contrast, simplicity can unleash the potential of your subconscious mind to be heard more clearly, as you create space for new possibilities to emerge in your life. Where, then, to begin? Easy – with making your bed. Yes, really! While it sounds like such a small step, the ritual of making your own bed can inspire self-confidence and inner calm and enhance your wellbeing.
Have that friend you can call on, morning, noon or night
A wise man once said to be grateful for your friends, for they are the gardeners that make your soul blossom. It’s easy to neglect your friends as relationships require investment of time and effort. While the best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago, the next best time is today. What are some seeds you can sow today to nurture existing friendships or develop new ones? If you want more friends in your life, be more friendly. If you want more support in your life, be more supportive. If you want more connection in your life, reach out and connect more with others. Taking action to strengthen your relationships is something that your future self will thank you for.
Commit to making memories
You don’t have to travel halfway across the world to have a memorable experience. A simple coffee break conversation with friends, a family event or time in nature may all be equally emotionally resonant, fulfilling and memorable in their own way.
Published research from the American Psychiatric Association has found that spending money on simple experiences, such as time with family or dinner with friends, is far more likely to boost your happiness and wellbeing than spending on ‘stuff’. So, instead of scrolling endlessly for another so-called bargain, call a friend or go for a walk in nature instead. Next month, when the buzz of instant gratification has long since passed, your future self will thank you for being so wise. Less dopamine and instant gratification, perhaps, but more durable gold from sustainable happiness.
Things Your Future Self Will Thank You For by Mark Rowe is published by Gill Books and available now
