New year, new you! If you want to make this year your best year, it's time to make some lifestyle changes to set you up for success. Check out our top five changes to reach your goals!
January 2023. This article is independently written by Shelby Golding. All opinions given are hers. Shelby has been certified as a personal trainer and nutritional specialist since 2007. In 2008, she found her passion for writing about these topics and hasn't looked back.
This guide highlights the top five lifestyle changes you can implement to make this year your best year. Keep reading to find some goals you'd like to set for yourself.
New Year, New You: Top 5 Lifestyle Changes
Setting goals and making changes at the beginning of the year can be a healthy, beneficial habit. But if you pick too many goals or make them unrealistic, you may be setting yourself up for frustration.
Did you know that less than half of people who set new year's resolutions successfully keep them after six months? And around 23% of people forget about their resolutions before the year is over! So if you plan to make changes for the new year, don't let this be you.
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Track your progress: Keeping track of your progress with a bullet journal, app, or calendar may increase your chance of success. To compare, 33% of people who fail to keep their new year resolution don't track their progress.
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Reward yourself: Consider giving yourself a small reward each month you continue focusing on your resolution and successfully implementing your changes. Then, set up larger rewards at the six and 12-month marks. This can help you stay motivated.
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Don't add new goals: If you decide to make changes for a new year, focus on those changes without getting distracted by new goals. Remember that 23% of people who forgot about their resolution? It's easier to become one of them if you add to your plate.
We've highlighted five realistic lifestyle changes you can use to make this year your best year. But we're not suggesting you implement all of them! Instead, pick two or three that stand out to you and make them your focus for the year.
1. Good Sleep Hygiene
On average, most adults need seven or more hours of sleep each night. However, the average American gets less than seven hours of sleep each night. If you're one of them, good sleep hygiene could be a beneficial lifestyle change for your new year.
While there are plenty of myths that you can "train your body" to get by on less than six hours of sleep each night, it's simply not true. The human body needs rest, and when you're low on sleep, research shows that it produces similar effects to being drunk.
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Follow a consistent sleep schedule: Set times when you want to go to bed and wake up that will allow you to get seven or more hours of sleep. This usually requires around eight hours in bed. Stick to your schedule and try to limit any variation from it to less than 30 minutes.
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Create a bedtime routine: Following a relaxing bedtime routine (that doesn't involve your devices) can help your body prepare to sleep each night. Soothing music, gentle stretching, meditation, or reading a book are good places to start.
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Get moving: Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes during the daytime to promote restful sleep at night. On busy or tired days, this can be as easy as walking your dog for 30 minutes (dogs need a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day, so this will benefit both of you!).
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Drink less caffeine: If you drink caffeine from coffee, tea, energy drinks, kombucha, or anything else, try to have less of it. And stop drinking your caffeine as early in the day as possible to prevent sleep interference.
2. Daily Meditation
Meditation offers many benefits, and it's not as difficult as you might think. It's all about training your mind to focus. You can count your breaths, listen to guided meditations, practice relaxing your body, or just sit quietly – whatever works for you!
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Reduced depression
- Improved moods
- Lower levels of cytokines (chemicals that contribute to depression as well as inflammation, and chronic pain)
- Higher mindfulness and self-awareness
- Longer attention span
- Reduced age-related memory loss
- Better sleep
- Decreased pain levels
3. Talk Therapy
Therapy and counseling aren't just for people experiencing mental health conditions – they can help everyone manage their stress, process emotions, and feel happier. Potential benefits of talk therapy include:
- Improved communication
- Lower stress levels
- Improved stress management
- Better decision-making skills and healthier choices
- Feeling empowered
- Helpful insights about your life from an unbiased outside party
- Identifying and treating potential mental health conditions
If you're reluctant about therapy, you might benefit from trying it for a month or two. You can opt for online sessions instead of in-person therapy.
You might find that you enjoy weekly meetings with someone you can talk to about anything and everything in your life. In addition, you'll never have to worry about what you say to your therapist; their focus is solely on helping you improve your life.
You might find that you enjoy weekly meetings with someone you can talk to about anything and everything in your life. In addition, you'll never have to worry about what you say to your therapist; their focus is solely on helping you improve your life.
4. Socialize
It's easy to forget to socialize these days but spending time with friends, and loved ones is good for your health! Plus, it's fun to unwind after a stressful week and can add value to your life.
- Regular get-togethers with friends or family
- Regular hangouts with people who share your interests
- Group classes to learn things you're interested in
- Book clubs
- Support groups
5. Exercise Regularly
Working out for 30 minutes a day, five days a week can help you get in shape and stay healthy. Getting 150 minutes of exercise each week can also reduce stress and depression symptoms, which may make it easier to achieve your other goals.
Only 23% of Americans get enough exercise – the remaining 78% are missing out on benefits like improved brain health, reduced disease risk, and stronger bones and muscles.
This doesn't have to be as hard as it might sound. For example, if you walk your dog for 30 minutes a day, every day, you're getting more than the recommended 150 minutes a week. If you'd like to do more, you can reap additional health benefits by adding up to 75 minutes of strength training each week (that's just 15 minutes a day, five days a week).
Only 23% of Americans get enough exercise – the remaining 78% are missing out on benefits like improved brain health, reduced disease risk, and stronger bones and muscles.
This doesn't have to be as hard as it might sound. For example, if you walk your dog for 30 minutes a day, every day, you're getting more than the recommended 150 minutes a week. If you'd like to do more, you can reap additional health benefits by adding up to 75 minutes of strength training each week (that's just 15 minutes a day, five days a week).
BONUS! 6. Manage Chronic Pain
Don't head into the new year without a way to manage your chronic pain. The Kailo Pain Patch can help you enjoy a pain-free life no matter what you're doing. It's easy to apply and designed to relieve pain in seconds without taking painkillers.
A recent clinical study showed that 99% of patients felt pain relief within 10 minutes of using the Kailo Pain Relief patch. Patients enrolled in the study also showed a significant increase in quality of life when switching to Kailo from oral medication.
