As the New Year approaches, we are bombarded with weight loss commercials, fad diets, and quick fixes that deliver false advertising. The advertisements are often weight-loss scams that set unattainable and unrealistic goals for people looking to live a healthier lifestyle. It is important to set New Year’s resolutions that are sustainable. Many people end up setting the same health goals and breaking them with in the first few weeks of the New Year, due to the restrictive nature of the goals. To be realistic in your New Year’s resolutions, follow the list below for 5 healthy sustainable New Year’s resolutions.
Increase your sleep: The needed amount of sleep for adult’s ranges from 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Symptoms of sleep deprivation can include lack of energy, reduced attention span, and poor memory. Sleep deprivation can also put you at greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders. If you have sleep deprivation talk to your doctor about how you can improve your sleep. There are many reasons why sleep deprivation can occur, therefore make it a priority, in the year 2022, to get good quality sleep.
Sit less, move more: Many people work in environments that call for sitting the majority of the day. Too much sitting is not good for your overall health. Sitting can decrease your energy, cause stiff joints, and put you at greater risk for developing cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. It is important to increase your movement throughout the day to stay health. In the New Year you can set goals of taking a daily walk, getting up from your desk every 30 minutes to stretch, taking stairs whenever possible, or taking weekly trips to the gym. There are so many ways to add more movement into your lifestyle. Find an easy attainable resolution that works for you.
Limit screen time: Looking at a screen is a big part of our daily lives from working at a computer to watching a movie for entertainment. Too much screen time can put you at increased risk for developing obesity, sleep deprivation, depression, and anxiety. To prevent the negative effects of too much screen time you can designate specific rooms as screen free spaces or stop using your phone or watching television before bed. Find the best resolution that works for you and stick with it.
Take more “me time”: Self-care is an important aspect to your overall health. So often people put others first resulting in the inability to stick to one’s health goals for themselves. Do not burn yourself out taking care of others and remember it is ok to say no to people to make time for yourself. Your “me time” can be anything you enjoy, such as a yoga class, morning meditation, a weekly bath, getting extra hours of sleep, or home cooking a meal. Make it a priority to make time for yourself this year, especially if you are a caretaker or healthcare worker.
Try a new hobby: Hobbies are often left behind as our lives become busy and stressed. Having hobbies that are outside the workspace, has been proven to benefit peoples overall physical and mental health. It is a great way to keep the body and brain active. Make your New Year’s resolution, to try a new hobby or revisit a hobby that you used to enjoy.
References
1. Kubala, Jillian. “23 Healthy New Year's Resolutions You Can Actually Keep.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 23 Dec. 2019, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/realistic-new-years-resolutions#23.-Create-a-sustainable,-nourishing-diet.