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It seems like every time the calendar strikes one on a fresh year, everybody’s asking the same question: “what are your resolutions?”. Eating better, staying in shape, and renewing that gym membership that didn’t survive past January of last year are all good answers, but what about having a healthy new year that builds on that usual foundation?
By simply adding a few easy, creative New Year’s resolutions to your list, you can do a world of good for your total wellness just by putting some extra care into areas that many of us overlook. Here are six healthy, unique New Year’s resolution ideas that your body and mind will thank you for.
New Year’s health tips are a little different going into 2021, considering some of the uncertainty surrounding global health moving forward. Something as simple as spending enough time outside was even a challenge this past year.
Making a commitment to spend a little extra time in the sun every day is hardly a chore, and can actually have a big impact on how well you sleep. Our body’s natural circadian rhythm is dependent on our exposure to light, so it comes as no surprise that research shows the positive effect of daytime sunlight exposure on sleep quality.1
Emotional health should be a top priority for anybody hoping to have a healthy new year, and music can be an amazing tool. Studies have shown that music can help improve mood, reduce feelings of depression, and even help manage pain.2,3
Approach music the same way you would meditation by consciously setting aside some time each day to get rid of any distractions and immerse yourself in your favorite music. This is another perfect example of why New Year’s resolution ideas don’t have to be strenuous to help you achieve better wellness.
Sitting in silence for a few minutes a day hardly seems like much of a resolution compared to running on a treadmill, but the benefits of meditation are incredible, and serve the body and mind alike. Meditation helps to reduce stress, increase focus, and manage anxiety, with a Harvard study even finding that it may lead to a significant decrease in blood pressure.4 Other research suggests meditation can help with everything from chronic pain, to asthma, and tension headaches.5
The great thing about meditation is that there are many right ways to do it. You can find guided meditations online, practice mindfulness meditation, learn movement meditation, or even just set aside the time to close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Refreshing New Year’s resolution ideas don’t get much easier than that!
Many successful, unique New Year’s resolutions have to do with breaking bad habits, and these days just about everyone is guilty of subjecting their eyes to dangerous amounts of screen time. It seems safe to say most people value their eyes pretty highly, but when it comes time for New Year’s resolution ideas, it’s pretty rare that any of us have a plan to improve the way we take care of them.
A super straightforward way you can help protect your vision and reduce eye strain is by making a note to yourself to follow the 20-20-20 rule. Just take a screen break every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away from 20 seconds. Even the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends this practice!6
Sometimes the best, most unique New Year’s resolution ideas can be as simple as making a point to crack a few extra jokes. They always say that laughter is the best medicine, but is there really any truth to that?
According to the American Heart association, there actually is! Laughter can have a lasting positive effect on your heart health, due to the fact that it reduces stress hormones and increases blood flow in a similar manner to aerobic exercise.7 Turn a healthy new year into a happy and healthy new year by finding a new favorite comedian, learning some new jokes to tell your friends, and making an effort to find more humor in day to day life.
Drinking enough water and having a healthy new year go hand-in-hand because of the huge impact water consumption has on almost every area of your health and wellness, especially your bladder and kidneys. The American Cancer Society says that those who drink plenty of water are less likely to develop bladder cancer, while dehydration can lead to kidney stones and UTIs.8
Better hydration makes for a perfect New Year’s health resolution idea because of how easily you can turn it into a quantifiable goal, even a game of sorts. There are plenty of fun water bottles out there that can help track your daily progress while offering a little bit of extra motivation. Ultimately, you want to focus on making sure you’re keeping from feeling thirsty and see that your urine is mostly clear or light yellow. It won’t take long before you notice just how energizing and good it feels when your body is properly fuelled with enough water!
Hopefully, these New Year’s resolution ideas have given you some inspiration, while also illustrating how you can cross fun, unique New Year’s resolutions off your list easily. All it takes is a bit of creativity to help you get on the path toward feeling great without a ton of difficulty. Now, let’s raise a glass (of water!) to a happy, healthy New Year.
The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any disease.
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