With GP waiting times increasing in many practices, and appointments for non-urgent care more difficult to access, home blood testing is becoming a common alternative for many people looking to take control of their health.
Sometimes, when we think of improving our health, it can seem like a daunting task. Leading busy, stressful lives doesn’t always leave us a lot of time to put our wellbeing first. But we know it’s important.
Thankfully, even small changes to your routines and habits can add up to big improvements. So you don’t need to overhaul your life to feel the benefits.
For World Wellbeing Week, we’re looking at the small changes that make a big difference.
Detox your bedtime
Proper sleep is one of the most crucial building blocks of good health, but for so many of us, we just don’t get enough of it. And, even if we do, it’s often the case that the quality of our sleep isn’t good.
If we go too long in a pattern of poor sleep, it can start to have all sorts of knock-on effects to our health, so establishing a good routine is incredibly important.
Thankfully, you don’t need to do anything especially complicated. Try to make sure you start to wind down for around 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime and keep that time consistent. Try to keep the routine before bed the same every day, which will create a strong association that tells your brain it’s time to rest.
Keep mobile phones and other devices away from the bedroom if you can, or at least switched off, to prevent blue light from disrupting your sleep. And try to keep your room at a comfortable temperature and the space clean and free from clutter.
"Checking in on our health is so important. Many conditions which go on to be serious and debilitating, if caught early, are easily managed through diet or lifestyle changes, supplements, or a temporary course of treatment. ”
Relevant Inclusions that your NHS Doctor will recognise.
Are at-home blood test kits accurate?
Yes, we only include clinically valid tests in our health screening home blood test profiles and the analysis is conducted at accredited laboratories that the NHS themselves use.
Step up
Keeping active is another important cornerstone of wellbeing, but with more sedentary jobs, this can be more challenging. While you may not be a lover of the gym, there’s still plenty of benefit to be found in one of the easiest and cheapest forms of fitness - walking.
Planning it as an activity might not be an option, due to time constraints, but it’s surprising how much walking you can sneak into your day just by making small changes. Why not get off the bus a few stops earlier, take the stairs, suggest a walking meeting with a colleague, take a lunchtime stroll or join a friend on a dog walk for your catch up, instead of a café.
All these small steps can lead to big strides towards better health.
Keep hydrated
Water, water everywhere – but do you remember to drink? If you struggle to keep on top of drinking enough water, you’re not alone. Many of us simply forget until we’re thirsty, which means we’re already dehydrated.
If you find it hard to hydrate, try mixing it up by making water more interesting, with fruit or herbal infusions. If you don’t mind water but just forget to drink, try setting a timer a few times in the day as a prompt, and keep a water bottle in your line of sight.
Stretch
If yoga seems like a bit too much of a stretch for you, don’t worry. You can still benefit from taking just a few minutes in your day to stop and stretch.
Sitting for too long isn’t good for your health and long term can lead to all sorts of issues. Making time to get up and stretch it out can help with posture problems, tension, and stress.
Eat more (veg)
It won’t come as a surprise to you that a key recommendation for health is to eat your veggies. We’ve been told to eat our greens since childhood, and for many of us, that’s where the life-long hatred began. And even if you love your veg, fitting enough of it in can still seem like a challenge, particularly when you’re strapped for time and relying on convenience foods.
Why not try sneaking more veg into your diet in other ways. Smoothies packed with green veg, for example, are a quick way to get loads of nutrients in all at once.
Prevention is better than the cure
Checking in on our health is so important. Many conditions which go on to be serious and debilitating, if caught early, are easily managed through diet or lifestyle changes, supplements, or a temporary course of treatment.
With GP waiting times increasing in many practices, and appointments for non-urgent care more difficult to access, private blood testing is becoming a common alternative for many people looking to take control of their health.
Our comprehensive PLUS test is a great option for those looking for a broad snapshot of their overall health, as it tests the blood for a number of key health indicators, deficiencies, and disease markers, removing a lot of guess work and flagging any potential problems.
The test looks for liver, thyroid and kidney function, vitamin levels, cholesterol, diabetes markers, iron levels and much more.
You can choose whether to have a home visit from a qualified nurse or visit one of our BMI hospital partners to have your blood sample collected for testing. You can also choose a vacutainer sample collection option if you prefer.
