Three things that will make you happier, healthier and more successful

Three things that will make you happier, healthier and more successfulThree things that will make you happier, healthier and more successfulAs humans, were really good atbeing hard on urselves. It can be easy to look at what we didnt do - whether thatsnot getting enough sleepor making it to the gym - and convince ourselves its too late to start a new habit. But heres the thing Not doing something in the past doesnt mean you cant do something in the future. As clich as it sounds,every day is a fresh startand our gelegenheit tocreate a new habit, whether itsscheduling a walking meetingat work, or arranging our evening so we canget to bed at a reasonable hour. Here are three simple things that we can all start doing today that will make us notably happier, healthier, and more successfulFollow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreStart exercising even if you havent beenAs children, it was rel atively easy to bephysically fit, between our boundless energy, constant opportunities to play with other kids, and the state-mandated physical activity of gym class. But as we age, it becomesharder to make exercise a priority. If youre not in the habit of scheduling regular workouts into your week, you may think its too late.But, according to a largenew study from the National Cancer Institute, its definitely not. The research found that people who started exercising in midlife enjoyed the same protection against mortality as people who had always worked out. (Just note that it also works the other way If you stop exercising in midlife, all the mortality points you may have racked up earlier on in life go away.) So get and/or stay movingStart prioritizing your sleepLike exercise, its entirely possible to develop good sleep hygiene later in life, even if your sleep habits havent been the best up until this point. Its a common misconception that people need less sleep as they age,acc ording to the National Sleep Foundation, though our sleep patterns can change. The key is to pay closer attention to our sleep architecture - recognizing what prevents us from falling and staying asleep - and solving for those issues. If youre having trouble winding down at night, you might want to try one of ourThrive Microsteps(small, science-backed behavioral changes that can make a big impact), like turning off your electronic devices a half hour before bedtime, or taking a hot bath or shower to help you transition into sleep mode and symbolically wash the day away.Sleepis certainly anintegral part of our physical and mental health, but getting enough shut-eye can also make us better and more successful people. According toThrive Globals Sleep Editor-at-Largeand CEO of Sleep Number,Shelly Ibach, sleep is deeply connected to our kindness and relatedly, our ability to form and maintain meaningful connections with others. When were well-rested, were more present in our interactio ns. We take more time to listen. Were more available. And presence leads to kindness. It enables us to connect in a way that brings joy to both parties, shewrote in an article on Thrive.Start a daily gratitude practiceBeing thankful should not be relegated to one Thursday in November - itssomething we should practiceon a daily basis. And, like exercising and getting more sleep, its something thats free, never too late to start, and available immediately. So why should we take the time to practice gratitude? For starters,it can improveour physical and emotional well-being, as well as our relationships with others, according to Robert Emmons, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, and author ofThanks How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier.In his research, Emmons had participants - ranging in age from 8 to 80 - use a gratitude journal, where they wrote down things that made them feel grateful, and noted that many of them began feeling th e positive changes within just three weeks. He found that people who practice gratitude experience a wide sortiment of benefits, including stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, feeling more awake and alert, being more optimistic, beingmore forgiving, and feeling lesslonely and isolated- among many others. Even if you dont write down what youre grateful for, justtaking a minute to pause and reflecton it can have a big impact on your day and for your overall well-being.This article originally appeared on Thrive Global.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people