Your hair is your priced natural possession which can either ruin or augment your style and look. A lush, thick and beautiful mane of hair can leave people awestruck. Lifestyle choices play a crucial role in your overall health and affect your hair just like other parts of the body. Your food intake, sleep patterns, and even daily routine activities impact your body's metabolism, blood circulation, and other bodily functions. It means that even small lifestyle changes can have a significant impact on your overall health as well as your hair.

Healthy, soft and shiny hair is the result of your good diet and health. It plays a vital role in developing your personality and its impact. No one likes dull, drab and rough hair. Every lost strand of hair can add to the fear that you will go bald and look unattractive. Losing approximately 100 to 150 hair strands is considered normal, but if your hair fall has increased from this range, then it is alarming!

Examine Your Lifestyle

If you are suffering from scalp dryness, hair fall, hair breakage or just have dull and rough tresses, then you should carefully consider your lifestyle. It is important to know what you have been eating, what habits you are following, and how these factors are impacting your body as well as your hair.

Lifestyle Changes and their Impact on Your Hair

Only changing hair care products won't help much when it comes to improving your hair health and stimulate hair growth. You need to make changes to your lifestyle to improve the condition and life of your hair, reduce hair fall and enjoy healthy, shiny hair.

Here are some easy and simple lifestyle changes which you can follow to observe an evident difference in your hair health in the long run.

Start With Basics

Eating a healthy diet is as essential for your hair as it is for your body. It is the foundation of healthy hair, skin, and nails. Regardless of how expensive your hair products are, if you are not eating the right diet, all your money is going to waste.

You need to eat food rich in essential minerals and vitamins. Hair is made up of a protein called ‘keratin’; so, if you are experiencing hair fall or other hair problems, consider improving your intake of proteins rich in Omega fatty acids, such as nuts, and salmon, etc.

Nuts are a rich source of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. You can have a handful of nuts for your breakfast or during your meal times or just take them as snacks. In addition to Omega fatty acids, consider eating foods rich in iron, zinc, and vitamins D3 and C.

Remember that eating a balanced, natural and healthy diet is the key to a healthy body and hair. Reduce your intake of processed and sugary foods as they will only do harm. Avoid taking too excess caffeinated and carbonated drinks and try to take fruits and vegetables in raw form. A natural diet is absorbed better in the bloodstream; so, instead of taking supplements eat natural foods to stay healthy.

The foods which you can include in your diet to improve your hair health include the following:

• Salmon: it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, iron and vitamin B-12. Consumption of this fish supports the health of your scalp, which means healthier hair.
• Dark Green Veggies: Spinach, broccoli and other green veggies that contain vitamins A and C are vital for the production of sebum (an oily secretion) inside your hair follicle. It is regarded as a natural conditioner for your hair.
• Beans: Legumes are a fantastic source of obtaining proteins, zinc, biotin, and iron. All these are the key components that play a crucial role in hair growth.
• Nuts: Walnuts, cashew nuts, pecans, and almonds have zinc that prevents hair loss.
• Eggs and Poultry: These items contain protein, which is also a building block of your hair.
• Whole Grains: These are excellent sources of zinc, iron, and B vitamins for the growth of your hair.
• Dairy (low-fat): Calcium is not just great for healthy and strong bones. It is also vital for the growth of your hair.

If you are suffering from any severe hair problem, like alopecia or severe hair loss, then it is better to consult a doctor. Your doctor will recommend protein hair treatment or supplements, according to your hair issue. You can also ask your doctor to recommend kerotin protein supplements if required as they can strengthen your hair.

Make Exercise Your Best Friend

Exercise not just keeps your body fit and active, it also has a high impact on the health of your hair. Regular exercise promotes and improves blood circulation in the body. Better blood circulation helps transport essential nutrients in the blood to the hair follicles and accelerates hair growth.

 It is one of the best ways to achieve overall health and an active lifestyle. Do you know that exercising actually helps reduce hair fall significantly?

Many of us may think that going to the gym or buying proper equipment is important for workout and exercise. Although it is, you do not need to break your bank to exercise. Just go for a daily walk for 20 or 30 minutes, watch a few YouTube videos of light routine workout and you are ready to experience the difference!

Try to Live a Stress-Free Life

When you are stressed with the burdens of routine life it not just affects your health, but also your hair. The emotional imbalance works as a trigger for the physiological imbalance. This is often exhibited in the form of deteriorating health and hair loss.

Stress causes hair fall, thinning and breakage. The increased level of stress raises the level of cortisol, a hormone which triggers hair fall, in your body. Fortunately, you can control stress through exercise, which in turn reduces cortisol levels and hair fall.

Exercise also stimulates the level of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a hormone which helps you feel happy and fresh. Just as reducing stress through exercising reduces cortisol, similarly exercising raises the level of serotonin in your blood. The more content you feel, the better is your health and definitely your hair.

Sleep like a Baby!

Proper sleep just like adequate diet plays a vital role in improving your hair health. A good night's comfortable and relaxing sleep helps your body repair and performs its functions in a better way. Sleep restores, repairs and rejuvenates your bodily processes.

It prepares your mind and body for the next day's routine. While you are in deep sleep, your body’s recovery mode is triggered. It repairs muscles, tissues, and circulates growth hormone (HGH) in your entire system.

As compared to day time, growth hormones are secreted in greater amount during the night. The growth hormones not only repair your internal organs, but they also stimulate your hair growth.

If you have a disruptive sleep pattern or are not getting proper sleep, you are lowering the chances of natural hair growth from the inside. You may notice that disturbed sleep causes your hair to appear dry, rough, brittle and lusterless. These are easily prone to breakage and hair loss. So, before changing your hair care products, it is better that you check how much and how well you are sleeping.

Drink Plenty of Water

Water is a natural detoxifier for your body. It is necessary that you drink ample amount of water each day to remove toxins from your body. It is also the key to lovely, strong and healthy hair. If you are facing hair issues, think about your water intake. How much water are you drinking daily?

There are more chances that you are not drinking enough fresh water as you have plenty of other tasteful beverages to enjoy in a day.

About 25% of your hair shafts comprise water. This means if you remain dehydrated, you don’t drink the required quantity of water every day, and the risk of your hair breakage increases by 25%.

You cannot compromise the health of your hair by not drinking enough water. Some sources recommend an intake of about 3-4 liters of water a day or 64 ounces approximately while others suggest drinking about half of your body weight. This might be difficult for you to do, but what you can do to improve your water intake is double what you are currently drinking and double it every week until you feel comfortable with the amount. However, the more you take, the better it is for your overall health and hair.

Get Oily Nourishment

You might think that it’s an ancient remedy, but it still works. Oiling is a way to moisturize and nourish your hair from outside. It improves the circulation of blood in the scalp which helps promote hair growth and also helps reduce hair fall to a considerable degree.

For the purpose of oiling, you can use coconut, olive or any other natural oil you like. Massage it in your hair scalp twice or thrice in a week. Leave it in your hair for an hour or so. This helps improve hair health, decrease hair fall and makes your hair healthier, shinier and stronger.

Avoid Frequent Chemical and Hairstyling Treatments

Remaining trendy and switching hair colors is fine if you are also taking proper care of your hair. But if you are experimenting with many hair colors, dyes and other chemical-filled hair treatments without properly caring about hair health, you are running a serious risk.

These chemical treatments damage your hair, make them weak, brittle and highly vulnerable to breakage.

Take it easy while using hair styling tools. Frequent hairstyling without proper hair care, and using curling rods, flat hot iron, blow drying, etc. can also cause severe damage to your hair.

It is necessary that you take proper care of your precious hair if you like to experiment with new trends and styles. Try to use a mild natural shampoo and use a gentle hairbrush. Try cutting down on chemicals and alcohol-based hair products, which make your hair dry and rough.

Regularly oil and condition your hair to keep them healthy and shiny. You can also try professional kerotin hair treatment for smoother and shinier hair.

Get Your Hair Trimmed Regularly

Your hair tips are highly vulnerable to damage. The tips of your hair become can split easily, making your hair weak and prone to breakage. So, it is suggested that you get your hair trimmed from edges regularly.

It helps your hair grow properly and gives better nourishment during oiling, conditioning or shampooing. With regular trimming, you can maintain the health of your hair and can have long and thick hair.

Quick Smoking and Alcohol

If you have a habit of smoking or drink too much alcohol, you should stop it for the love of your hair. Researches show strong links between hair problems and smoking and drinking. Smoking and alcohol damage your overall health and also have a severe negative impact on your hair growth.

Cigarettes cause irreversible damage to the physiology of your hair while alcohol dries out your hair. If you want to improve the condition of your hair, stop hair fall and stimulate hair growth, quit smoking and drinking. It might be a primary culprit for your damaged, dry, rough and thin hair.

Use Proven and Tested Hair Care Products

Do not just go for any hot hair care product in the market that makes big claims to grow your hair and stop hair fall and give you shiny, healthy hair. Look for proven and tested active ingredients in the ingredient list of the hair care product you choose. Do your research before buying any hair care product and consider if the claims are reasonable. Prefer to buy natural and organic products that suit your hair.

Do not rush as there is no need to make dramatic changes to your lifestyle. You can do it one at a time and see the difference in your hair health.