A Relative Sense of Feeling Well
“I feel great – especially given my age.” It’s a common response, but it’s also a relative one. Most of us measure how we feel against the last time we were unwell, how we felt last week, or against people around us.
Rarely do we stop and ask a more revealing question: “How energised do I feel on a scale of 1 to 10?” Or even better, “How energised do I feel compared with ten years ago?” Of course, this last question may be influenced by stepping back from full-time work and still riding on cloud 9.
The real challenge
The real challenge is this. Do you know how much better you could feel – or how much healthier you could be?
This article recalibrates wellbeing by measuring a broader set of lifestyle factors and the power of a few small changes. And that’s worth putting to the test.
Small changes, disproportionate impact
A recent study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology highlighted something remarkable: small lifestyle tweaks can significantly reduce cardiovascular risk. The headline was “Just 11-minutes more in sleep every night could drastically cut the risk of having a heart attack.” In addition to sleep, the study found that walking an extra 5 minutes per day or adding an extra portion of vegetables compounds the effect.
Its key insight was that combining small lifestyle changes across multiple areas of life creates disproportionately large benefits.
Beyond prevention: how you feel tomorrow
While the study focused on cardiovascular disease, the impact goes far beyond long-term cardiovascular prevention. Small lifestyle changes don’t just help you live longer, they change how you feel tomorrow.
A balanced lifestyle can ensure more stable energy throughout the day, better concentration and mental clarity, improved mood and resilience, better sleep quality and a lighter, more positive outlook.
The compounding effect
And feeling better is the start of a virtuous circle. These changes don’t just add up; they compound. Better sleep improves energy. More energy drives more movement. More movement improves mood and sleep.
If you could harness that in a tablet, you’d make a fortune, yet it’s free.
The five pillars of wellbeing
At a.genius, we focus on five pillars of wellbeing – physical exercise, cognitive health, social connectivity, nutrition and sleep.
The American College of Lifestyle Medicine adds avoidance of risky substances, such as smoking and alcohol, which we include within physical health and nutrition. Blue Zones highlight purpose and community, which we include within social connectivity.
What is clear is that the fundamentals are well-established and they overlap.
Download the a.genius biological age calculator and see how you measure across the five pillars.
The 80/20 rule of wellbeing
The Pareto Principle, or 80/20 Rule, also applies to wellbeing. You don’t need perfection across all pillars; you need balance and consistency. A small number of well-balanced habits will determine the majority of how you feel, because everything is connected.
For example, poor sleep, overeating, low activity and increased anxiety. Regular walking improves physical health, mental health and sleep quality.
Of course, some changes, such as stopping smoking, are literally life-changing.
Your 20% wellbeing playbook
Your 20% wellbeing playbook could be: –
- Move daily: at least 10 minutes every couple of hours, aiming for 45 minutes per day
- Sleep consistently: 7 to 8 hours, with a sleep schedule, a no-screen wind-down an hour before bed and a dark, cool room
- Eat mostly whole foods: replace half your carbohydrates with proteins and vegetables, and finish eating 2 hours before bed
- Avoid harmful substances: specifically smoking, sugars, ultra-processed foods and more than one small glass of wine per day.
- Stay connected: maintain regular and frequent contact with family, friends, neighbours and community
- Manage stress: take 5 deep breaths at the start and end of the day, or 10 minutes of meditation.
These cover all bases.
Start small, build consistency
The key takeaway is to pick one habit. Start small. Make it easy, repeat it. Build consistency first and then do more. The other side of that coin is, try too much and you’ll likely change nothing.
What to expect
I’m confident that, however good you feel today, you can feel better and sooner than you think. Within 2 to 4 weeks, you’ll have more energy. Within 4 to 8 weeks, improved mood and focus and within 2 to 3 months, better physical and mental wellbeing.
Track your baseline
Before you start this challenge, write down how you feel today. Score your energy level, your concentration, your mood, your sleep quality, and your engagement. Then review after two months.
I’d love to hear the results.
