The doctor named the most useful habits for health

Observing the daily routine is a key factor in maintaining a person's physical and mental health, Elena Aleksentseva, an Invitro-Voronezh pediatrician, told Izvestia on March 5.

"Studies show that a properly organized routine significantly improves the functioning of the nervous system, optimizes the functioning of internal organs, improves sleep quality and increases the efficiency of time allocation," she noted.

Also, according to the expert, sleep mode is of particular importance.

"The optimal time to fall asleep is before 23:00, since melatonin, a sleep hormone involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms, begins to be actively produced at nightfall," she stressed.

For an adult, the optimal sleep duration is 7-9 hours, the doctor added.

Regular physical activity, according to the doctor, also plays an important role in maintaining health.

"Moderate exercise helps prevent age—related loss of muscle mass and generally has a positive effect on the activity of all organs and body systems," the expert explained.

Balanced nutrition and adequate water regime are two more important components of a healthy lifestyle, Aleksentseva added.

"The daily water requirement for an adult is two to three liters, including food intake. Clean drinking water should make up 50-70% of the total daily volume of liquid. Regular meals at a set time are the basis for proper digestion and metabolism. It is not recommended to use the phone or watch TV during meals, it is advisable to devote at least 15-30 minutes to the meal. This helps to avoid overeating and promotes better absorption of food," the doctor said.

For a healthy person, three meals a day is considered optimal with a preferred distribution of the daily diet with an emphasis on the first half of the day. For a young body, four meals a day is preferable.

Another useful habit, according to the expert, is reading books. This type of intellectual activity effectively trains mental abilities, helps strengthen memory, develop analytical thinking and speech skills, preventing premature aging of the brain.

Earlier, on January 29, the chief physician of the European Medical Center (EMC), Rosanna Gardashnik, told Izvestia that to strengthen immunity in the cold season, especially it is important to monitor nutrition, maintain an adequate level of physical activity, and avoid stressful situations. She added that excessive stress depletes the supply of cortisol and the body copes worse with subsequent stress, including infections and hypothermia.