Whoever claimed that there was something unpleasant, unsettling, or disheartening about making the transition from your twenties to your thirties was, in all likelihood, many years away from turning 30. Why do we say that? Because your third decade features all the best moments — from finally feeling settled on your chosen career path, to gaining a little more perspective, self-understanding and wisdom (all of which only come from spending multiple decades on this earth), your thirties is, in our opinion, one of the very best decades.
This is the time to feel settled — both in yourself, and in the world — which is why it represents the perfect time to start investing a little more time into your health and wellbeing. After all…you’re not twenty anymore.
Plan Ahead
That existentialist ‘fear of the unknown’ belongs in your twenties — now that you’re thirty, making a concerted effort to lay down certain foundations for your future years should not only be a lot easier, but also help to quell any of the newfound anxieties that can accompany starting a family, and taking on more responsibility.
For starters, understanding how to budget and bolster your savings account for those rainy days is essential. Next, factor a few necessities into your budget — most importantly, life insurance. A strong policy will be one that offers a comprehensive plan for your loved ones (and, of course, offers reassurance against those insomniac-nights of worry over the ‘what ifs’). These days, rather than undergoing a major medical exam you can use an online life insurance calculator, and find a suitable policy from home.
Planning ahead may not be the most exciting thing you can do, but you will be glad you did it.
Get Outside
I know, I know — I risk sounding like your mother when I say this — but getting outside really is one of the best things you can do for your body. ‘Fresh air’ is far from being a fleeting wellness fad, which is exactly why you should make it a priority.
A little time in the great outdoors (with plenty of sunscreen — see below) offers a healthy dose of Vitamin D, exercise, and improved sleep — among other things. In fact, spending just 20 minutes outdoors could boost your mood significantly — and never more so than when so many of us are working from the home office all day.
Fix Your Posture
If just seeing the word ‘posture’ is enough to make you quickly snap into a upright position, the chances are that you ought to be doing a little more to protect some of the most important (and, as it happens, delicate) parts of your body.
From your lumbar spine to your abs, maintaining good posture is a full-body exercise — one that we have to work at every day in order to keep ourselves healthy now, and in the long-term. From preventing headaches to improving our digestion and, of course, mitigating the risks of lower back pain later in life, making a conscious effort to sit properly holds myriad benefits.
Use Sunscreen
You’ve likely heard it said plenty of times before that our skin represents the largest organ in (or, in this case, on) the human body. Keeping it healthy is important not only for our appearance, but for our overall sense of health and wellbeing.
This is never truer than it is in the case of protecting against the sun, and its harsh UV rays which have long-since been proven to cause premature ageing and skin cancer. According to research, using sunscreen on a daily basis (and re-applying whenever necessary) can cut your risk of developing skin cancer in half. In essence, turning sunscreen into a habit is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Take Your Probiotics
The concept of our ‘gut microbiome’ is, for the overwhelming majority of us, still pretty unfamiliar. Yes, we are all growing increasingly aware of the ways in which an unhealthy diet impacts our gut health but, even then, getting to grips with our own digestion is not easy — particularly in the midst of a busy lifestyle.
Probiotics are, at their simplest, beneficial bacteria and yeast designed to live within your gut and improve digestion. If that sounds a little too visceral for you, we can put it this way instead:
You can take probiotic supplements, or simply tweak your diet to include more probiotic-rich foods, such as yogurt and fermented wholefoods like sauerkraut and kimchi. Over time, this should bolster your body’s reserves of ‘good’ bacteria, and bring your digestion down to an even tempo.
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