It all depends on what you want to achieve.
Sleep better? Exercise directly improves sleep. We use energy in exercise and our body recovers with increased pressure for sleep. Exercising in the afternoon or early evening raises body temperature, which then declines rapidly four or five hours later, aiding the natural process of going to sleep. try to avoid exercise within three hours of bedtime, to give your body time to cool down. But exercise also needs to be combined with changes in sleep habits, such as not using tablets or smart phones for two hours before bed, to bring the most change.
Prevent heart disease? Diet holds the key. Each fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Try to reduce your overall fat intake to less than 30% of your total calories, with less than a third being saturated fats. Get omega-3 from oily fish. But regular exercise will also help.
Protect your brain? Exercise is the answer. Five lifestyle factors reduce the risk of developing dementia: regular exercise, healthy diet, low body weight, low alcohol intake and not smoking. Exercise is the biggest contributor.
Drop a dress size? Diet using a long-term strategy. To drop a pound a week you need to cut 500 calories a day - the equivalent of not eating a muffin. Focus on eating fewer refined carbohydrates - found in frozen meals, processed foods, bread, pasta and sugar. Beware of hidden sugar in foods (e.g. low fat yoghurt is made more palatable by the addition of sugar - your body has an off switch for fats but not for sugar). Boost your intake of wholegrains, vegetables, eggs and fish. Make small but sustainable changes. Stop taking sugar in tea - it will taste horrible for two weeks, but after that you'll want to spit out a sugared tea. Adding exercise will improve your body shape.
Fight depression? Exercise is the way to go. Adults who do some form of physical activity every day are at least 20% less likely to develop depression. A 50 minute session of moderately intense exercise three times a week improves negative moods and depression. Exercise is a natural stimulator of important mood hormones including seratonin and dopamine. Exercising in a green environment is also good - a walk in the woods reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Get more energy? Diet - eat smart through the day. Plan regular meals and make sure each contains protein and fat along with high fibre carbs (veg and fruit). Adding a little grated cheese to pasta or swapping jam for peanut butter will result in a longer lasting rise in blood sugar and energy. If you want a snack, try a handful of nuts, or add seeds or granola to a small helping of plain yoghurt. Quick energy fixes like biscuits trigger spikes of insulin meaing that blood sugar levels will rise and fall quickly.
Beat menopausal symptoms? Diet can help. Menopause can not only bring hot flushes and night sweats, weight gain and low mood, but also raises the risk of osteoporosis, dementia and heart disease in later life. For hot flushes, the most important factor is diet - eating foods rich in phytoestrogens (soya, tofu, edamame beans, linseeds). However, research has also shown that up to 60% of hot flushes can be eliminated by 20 minutes of formal relaxation (e.g. meditation) a day.
Good Housekeeping, April 2014
