Wherever you are in your year, there’s still time to reset. Let’s talk about small changes you can make that will make a big difference in your life, even if you’re getting a late start. From mental health to skincare, we have easy ways to improve your lifestyle for a healthier, happier life.
What Are Some Healthy Habits for the New Year?
We’ve all made massive goals that seem impossible at the end of December — like running a marathon when we’ve never even owned a pair of proper running sneakers, establishing a better sleep routine, or test-driving Dry January. These are big changes that can challenge even the most driven people.
If you want to achieve major goals, begin with minor changes. Improving on simple habits over a long time can yield incredible results. For instance, if your goal is to run a marathon, it starts with buying proper shoes, not deciding to go for a four-mile run with zero training.
Learn some of the easiest and healthiest habits you can add to your lifestyle. These habits will get you long-term benefits without taking up much time or effort in the present.
1. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep affects every aspect of your health and wellness - from stress to skin! Without enough sleep, you may have trouble focusing, feel less energy throughout the day, and deal with mood swings or skin issues. Missing out on sleep even affects our diet and appetites.
Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep every night, depending on age and activity levels. If you have trouble getting to or staying asleep, take a look at your sleep hygiene habits and see if they need adjusting.
Sleep hygiene refers to habits and activities you do to prepare for sleep. For instance, unplugging your phone, dimming the lights, and listening to soft music can help you maintain a consistent bedtime, which is important for maintaining quality sleep. Cutting back on screen time before you go to bed has been shown to help improve sleep. If staying asleep is your main issue, consider using white noise throughout the night and investing in blackout curtains which will help to cut down on light and distracting noise that could interrupt your sleep.
2. Reframe Your Mindset About Movement
For years, we’ve been told about the importance of movement. However, knowing what kind of exercise is best can be confusing. Should we be lifting weights, performing HIIT circuits, going to pilates, or making cardio our top priority?
Experts now say that movement, and that means any movement, is the answer. Whatever exercise is the easiest and most enjoyable for you to do should be the one you build into your routine, because you are much more likely to stay consistent if you choose an exercise routine you actually like!
In addition to the many health benefits of getting daily movement, your brain benefits from working out. Our brains reduce capacity when we are sedentary- so moving (which could include walking, hiking, yoga, cycling, or anything else you enjoy) helps keep us mentally sharp, releases endorphins and improves your mood.
Instead of thinking you need to hit the gym for an hour of extreme HIIT training each day (unless that’s what you love), find a way to move during your day that helps you feel better. A walk during your lunch break or a cycle after work can be as effective for mood-boosting.
3. Take the First Step
If you have a big goal, like planning a trip overseas or running that marathon, make this year the year you take the first necessary step towards achieving it. Dismiss the all-or-nothing mindset, and the plan will become more attainable.
An excellent place to start could be breaking down the goal into smaller, more attainable steps and setting time frames for those benchmarks. If you want to plan a trip, list items you’d need to attend to, like contacting a travel agent, booking time off from work, and establishing a financial plan.
Give each item a deadline, and the goal will seem much less daunting. Bonus: You will feel a deep sense of accomplishment every time you reach one of your goals, and get more motivation to keep going.
4. Hydrate
It simply can’t be overstated. If you are still not drinking enough water, level up your hydration. You don’t need to drink a gallon of water daily, but you do need to drink enough to keep your skin hydrated and healthy and your body functioning correctly.
If you have trouble meeting your daily water intake, try drinking 8 ounces of water upon waking and drinking 8 ounces of water with every meal. By the end of the day, you will have already consumed 32 ounces of water, about half of what is generally recommended for adults.
Another easy way to improve your water intake is to pick a reusable, refillable water bottle that sparks joy for you. By picking a cup, bottle, or canteen that’s easy to refill and carry with you on-the-go, you’ll never be without your H20.
5. Get Serious About Your Stress Levels
Most of us are more stressed than we want to be, and that’s a problem. Stress can lead to adverse health impacts like high blood pressure, unregulated sleep, and even higher levels of cholesterol. It can also leave you feeling emotionally spent and tired but simultaneously cause you to experience periods of insomnia.
If you’re stressed, learning to manage it is vital. Whether that means talking to a trusted loved one or a therapist, learning to meditate, or indulging in more self-care than you usually do, the outcome will be worth it.
Managing stress can also be done by getting more organized with your daily tasks. Consider doing a ‘brain dump’ where you write down all of the tasks you need to tackle: from work to chores around the house, errands you need to run, social obligations, health appointments, and more. Create a section for each area of your life, and organize your tasks into sub-categories, then prioritize what matters most to reach your larger goals.
Refer to your list when planning your week, and find pockets of time to slowly tick off tasks until your stress is more manageable. You’ll find that as your mental load decreases, you can breathe easier with less stress each day.
6. Get Consistent With Your Skincare
Creating time for self-care has various benefits - from helping to decrease stress, improve mindfulness, and help build confidence. Additionally, you can treat your skin concerns which may in turn alleviate stress about breakouts and the like.
If you’re anything like us, you may not have tons of time for lengthy at-home treatments. Luckily, skincare technology has come a long way, and you can now unlock your skin’s potential in just a few minutes using science-backed tools. One to try is the TRINITY+ Complete Set. This set includes everything you need to build a microcurrent skincare routine that is easy to follow and takes less than 10 minutes daily.
You’ll get:
- TRINITY+ Smart Advanced Facial Toning Device with Microcurrent Facial Trainer Attachment to tone, sculpt, and lift the larger areas of the face and neck
- TRINITY+ LED Red Light Wrinkle Reducer Attachment to rejuvenate the skin and smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- TRINITY+ Effective Lip & Eye Attachment to tighten and tone delicate treatment areas around the eyes and mouth, like visible 11 lines between brows or smile lines
- Aqua Gel Activator to provide lightweight hydration while conducting microcurrent
- Silk Crème Activator to firm and brighten skin while conducting microcurrent
- Clean Sweep Applicator Brush for a mess-free application
- Wireless Charging Cradle & Power Adapter
- User Manual & Quick Start Guide
To get started, download the NuFACE Smart App. You’ll get exclusive access to tips and techniques to help refine your skin and complete tutorials for using your devices and skincare. It’s like having an on-call aesthetician at your fingertips.
Try the Fitness For Your Face 10/10 Facial Workout in the NuFACE Smart App for an extensive self-care treatment. This TRINITY+ Complete Treatment tutorial uses all three TRINITY+ attachments to deliver 10 skin-loving benefits, from firming the neck to lifting brows and contouring cheeks.
Jumpstart a Nu Routine
Your New Year can start whenever you want it to. Making small daily changes will help you build healthy habits over time and improve total mind-body wellness. Consider focusing on your sleep hygiene, staying hydrated, getting daily movement, getting stress in check, and building a simple skincare routine to boost your wellness and feel your best.
Sources:
How Sleep Works - Why Is Sleep Important? | NHLBI, NIH
Sleep Deprivation - StatPearls | NCBI Bookshelf
Moving Your Body Is Like a Tune-Up for Your Mind | Greater Good.Berkeley.edu
Stress symptoms: Effects on your body and behavior | Mayo Clinic
