| Studies show that sleep quality has a direct | | | | healthier diet, your body will function better and |
| impact on your satisfaction with life. These studies | | | | not get "bogged down" with unhealthy foods. A |
| suggest that if you are sleep deprived today and | | | | proper diet will allow you to conserve energy to |
| unhappy with your life, you will remain unhappy | | | | help you get through to day and will also help you |
| with your life six years from now, regardless of | | | | fall asleep quicker and for longer periods. Drinking |
| whether you change your sleep habits. However, | | | | also impacts your quality of life (and sleep |
| adopting a proper sleep schedule as well as | | | | patterns) particularly if you drink stimulants like |
| adopting a few other key lifestyle changes can | | | | coffee in the evening. Likewise, alcohol can have a |
| have an immediate influence on whether or not | | | | negative impact on sleep and quality of life if not |
| you are happy with life today. | | | | consumed in moderation. |
| Of course, sleep quality and quantity cannot be | | | | Set and stick to a sleep schedule. Although this |
| the sole contributors to your change in personal | | | | gets us back to the sleep argument, setting an |
| satisfaction. While instrumental in so many ways | | | | sticking to a sleep schedule will allow you build |
| (proper sleep will reduce your chance for obesity, | | | | more of a routine around your days. This type of |
| medical problems like diabetes, heart disease and | | | | order will improve your quality of life because the |
| hyper tension among others, as well and reduce | | | | routine of sleep will mean you have less time in |
| your chance for a motor vehicle accident) proper | | | | your day, resulting in greater work-family balance |
| sleep alone can rarely have an altering impact on | | | | and scheduling. |
| your satisfaction with life. Instead, you should | | | | The above three tips, when combined with proper |
| incorporate these changes into your lifestyle. | | | | sleep quality and quantity will have a |
| Exercise daily. Even 20 minutes of exercise each | | | | near-immediate impact on your quality of life. |
| day will improve your outlook on life. Twenty | | | | More importantly, once these lifestyle changes |
| minutes really is not that long -- walk a dog, take | | | | become habitual, the happiness and energy surge |
| a morning walk to the coffee shop to kick-start | | | | will become permanent, meaning that in six years |
| your metabolism or sign up to a fitness club and | | | | from now, your quality of life will be much |
| get social. | | | | improved over your current experience. |
| Watch what you eat and drink. By adopting a | | | | |