'Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise' - Benjamin Franklin.
Imagine this: you drift off into the land of nod as the opening bars of the Eastenders theme tune strikes up then awaken, refreshed from your drowsy slumbers, as the dawn chorus chirrups its merry song. Hey presto! You're fit as a flea, as rich as Simon Cowell and as smart and sage as Stephen Fry crossed with Gandhi.
Ah, if only it were so simple.
But a good night's rest is not a bad place to start - at least as far as staying healthy is concerned. So if you find it hard to doze off at night try reading a book or drinking a warm milky drink before you switch the light off.
And do switch them off otherwise your sleep hormones will be befuddled as to whether it really is bedtime or not. Do most of your sleeping when the sun is down, and you'll have higher quality sleep.
A drop of the hard stuff before bed might put you to sleep but the quality of your rest will be affected.
Fat chance, I know, but instead of setting an alarm try and go to bed early enough that you wake naturally in the morning.
It's hopelessly impractical for a lot of people of course, but current research shows that having 40 winks in the afternoon is both restorative and refreshing. Winston Churchill, Leonardo Da Vinci, Bill Clinton and Margaret Thatcher were all fans of the power nap.
You are what you eat
Sugary drinks, fatty foods and vast helpings of processed food with all the goodness sucked out of it are not going to do you any favours in the long term.
Eat plenty of fruit and veg every day and make sure you're diet is rich in Omega-3 which you'll find in fish, legumes and nuts.
Whole grains provide healthy carbohydrates and you can get your protein from lean meat, beans and dairy products.
Drink water: You've heard it before, but we'll say it again. Drink water (word link)- plenty of it. It's nature's way of keeping us clean - both inside and outside.
Cut down on the amount that you eat by serving up your meal on a smaller plate. It will still look like plenty of food but you'll be eating smaller portions.
See the world
A ‘round the world’ cruise may still be some way off but don't forget that life goes on in your own backyard. Get out of the office or step outside your front door at least once a day and see the sun, even if it's just for a few minutes. If you're at work, use your lunch hour to take a stroll around the block or head to the gym.
We all need a regular dose of Vitamin D and we all need to see the daylight (yes, even teenage boys). Take sensible precautions when the sun is high and hot but the more you step out in the fresh air, the better your body will like it.
Be nice
It's all very well indulging in self-criticism but beating yourself over the head for not doing this or doing too much of that is ultimately self-defeating. Be kind to yourself. Let go of your guilt and your tension, relax and slowly but surely start moving forward in the direction you want to go. And don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back when you get something right!
