This blog is excerpted from a Prevention article by Jake Smith from November 30, 2021.
January 2022 is more than just the first month of a new year—it’s a chance to start fresh, rethink your approach to wellness, and imbue your life with a new sense of purpose.
Although you probably have a few resolutions in mind already, we’re not here to tell you to set more; in fact, you should feel free to take this year off. There’s nothing wrong with setting resolutions, of course, but you might prefer making a few simple changes to setting lofty (and frequently overambitious) goals.
Instead of setting your sights on sweeping life changes like getting fit, weight loss, or deleting social media, focus on the smaller stuff, whether that’s walking more each day, cooking one more meal at home each week, limiting phone time, or redecorating your room. That way, you’ll work toward your larger goals without feeling overwhelmed, and learn something new about yourself during a less-stressful process. It’s truly a win-win situation.
Now that 2022 is upon us, there’s no better time to welcome the new year than with a renewed passion for your wellbeing, focusing on everything from your brain health to your inner peace, your diet to your workout routine. With a little bit of consistent effort and some small steps, you’ll slowly change your lifestyle for the better.
Here are six great ways to welcome 2022:
1. Set realistic goals
Many of us start the new year with huge, vague goals like “work out more” or “eat healthier.” But those are less likely to stick than more specific, manageable ones, like scheduling three visits to the gym per week or replacing cookies with fruit for dessert, according to the American Psychological Association. If you can actually keep up with your resolutions, you’re much more likely to create healthier habits.
2. Go for a walk
“Daily walking increases metabolism by burning extra calories and by preventing muscle loss, which is particularly important as we get older,” Ariel Iasevoli, a personal trainer at Crunch gyms in New York City, previously told Prevention. Better yet, walking can lessen your risk of type 2 diabetes, lower your blood pressure, and ward off cardiovascular issues.
3. Take the stairs
In a 2017 study, researchers found that just 10 minutes of stair-walking was more effective than 50 mg of caffeine (about half a cup of coffee) in helping sleep-deprived women feel more energized. So on top of burning more calories and contributing to your overall fitness, climbing the stairs daily could keep you awake, too, no caffeine necessary.
4. See the light
Light therapy—that is, exposing yourself to bright light during the darker half of the year—can be as effective for treating major depressive disorder as antidepressants are, according to a 2016 study. Although you can and should invest in a light therapy lamp, getting outside in the morning can have a similar effect. “There’s evidence that sunlight can immediately increase serotonin levels in the brain,” Helen Burgess, Ph.D., a professor and co-director of the sleep and circadian research lab at the University of Michigan, previously told Prevention.
5. Practice generosity
Giving away your stuff doesn’t just benefit other people; you can reap the rewards, too. One 2006 study, for example, found that people feel just as good when they donated money to a charitable organization as they did when they were given money. Another 2013 study discovered that at least 200 hours of volunteering per year is linked with lower blood pressure.
6. Schedule your doctor’s visits
When was the last time you went to the doctor? It’s so easy to put off your visits by a few weeks or a few months that you might reach the end of the year without going through with any of them. Go ahead and schedule all your check-ups through the end of 2022—physicals, dentist visits, and anything else you might need—before you forget.
This includes taking care of that chronic back or neck pain you’ve been dealing with. The surgeons and staff at the Bonati Spine Institute have performed over 70,000 procedures in our 35+ years experience with a 98.75% patient reported satisfaction rate. Don’t live another year in pain that can be corrected with our targeted, outpatient Bonati Spine Procedures. If you would like to speak to a Bonati patient advocate about your case, simply call 844-663-0310 or complete our contact form here and we will be happy to reach out to you directly to discuss.
Read the full Prevention article here: https://www.prevention.com/life/g38392117/happy-new-year-2022/