by Julia Guppy

When I tell people I’m into health and wellness, a common response is often, “Oh, that must cost a fortune.” While there are certainly many fancy and expensive healthcare gadgets out there, which can be great for your health, keeping things simple (and free) might be the way to go! These simple and free practices that you can incorporate into your everyday life can do amazing things for your overall health.

Ditch the electronics at night

Many of us, when winding down for the night, spend time on our phones or tablets, whether scrolling through social media or catching up on work. This habit can do more harm than good when it comes to our sleep. These electronic devices emit artificial blue light, which signals to our brain that it’s still daytime, thereby inhibiting melatonin production, an important hormone that helps us feel sleepy. While blue light from the sun during the day is beneficial and boosts our energy, too much blue light at night has been shown to delay the onset of REM sleep, negatively affecting sleep quality and disturbing our natural circadian rhythm.

Instead, establish a bedtime routine that includes activities like reading a book, writing in a journal, practicing yoga, or meditating. I recommend placing a small, warm-colored light in the corner of your room for just enough illumination while reducing your exposure to artificial blue light before bed. Prioritizing good-quality sleep can significantly improve overall health, as sleep affects every aspect of well-being.

Tip: If breaking the habit of using electronics before bed is challenging, consider buying blue light-blocking glasses for around $10 on Amazon.

Earthing

Earthing, sometimes known as grounding, is the practice of making direct, bare contact with the earth, typically with your hands and feet. This contact allows the transfer of natural electric energy from the earth into your body, which may improve overall health. Potential benefits of earthing include enhanced sleep, improved mood, better immune system function, heart health, and reduced stress and inflammation. You can reconnect with nature by walking barefoot, sitting or lying outside, swimming in natural bodies of water, engaging in outdoor gardening, or practicing yoga. So, here’s your excuse to book that beach vacation—yes, that counts!

Exercise

You don’t need to spend money on fancy gym memberships or classes to stay active! Going for a walk or run outside is completely free. If the weather is too cold or rainy, you can do bodyweight exercises at home, such as squats, planks, lunges, push-ups, jumping jacks, and more. Even if you’re stuck at the office all day, you can use your work chair for exercises like squats or tricep dips. A quick Google or YouTube search will also provide you with numerous free at-home workout routines.

Tip: Try to move your body for at least 10 minutes after each meal to help use up the glucose from your meal and balance your blood sugar.

Self love and gratitude

It’s easy to be hard on ourselves given the stresses of everyday life, whether related to work, relationships, health, time, money, social media, or other factors. It’s important to take time each day for deep breaths and to practice gratitude to help manage these stresses. Developing strong self-love and gratitude has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Some ways to practice self-love and gratitude include writing your feelings or thoughts in a journal, using positive affirmations, expressing gratitude to loved ones, and listing or writing down three things you’re grateful for each day.

Taking off shoes at home

First, think about all the places we’ve been and all the things our shoes have probably stepped in. If you said dirt, gum, maybe dog poop, you’re right! However, we also collect heavy metals, viruses, pesticides, and a whole bunch of other chemicals all on the bottom of our shoes. When we wear them indoors, we bring these contaminants into our homes, potentially exposing ourselves to harmful substances daily. While I’m not suggesting that wearing shoes inside is the worst thing for your health, in a world filled with heavy metals, “forever chemicals,” and pollution, and more, I truly believe in limiting our exposure to toxins by controlling the things we can, like taking our shoes off at home. Regular vacuuming and wet dusting can further minimize these contaminants. Not to mention, people spend up to 90 percent of their time at home so why not keep it a clean one?

While there are many more simple and free ways to live a healthier and cleaner life, I hope these five tips have sparked some thoughts about your daily habits and are things you see yourself implementing!