Health is always a priority when heading into a new year. The month of January has us reflecting on the past year and thinking about changes we want to implement for the next 11 months. The beginning of a new year often means rethinking our approach to wellness and focusing on our overall well being.
Learning to adopt healthy habits may sound easy at first, but sometimes sticking to them can prove to be challenging. Some studies say it takes over two months for a behaviour to become automatic.
If you want to start building some healthy habits for 2022, we recommend starting small and focusing on habits that will slowly, but surely, make your lifestyle healthier.
Below are our top 7 healthy habits to add to your daily routine in 2022.
Move your body daily for 30 minutes
All you need is 30 minutes of exercise a day. We’re meant to move our bodies and honoring this daily is important. Not only is daily exercise proven to be a mood-booster, but it also contributes to a healthy sleep cycle and overall good health. Exercising daily does wonders for both our mind and our body.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is essential to our overall health. Chronically missing out on sleep is linked to a host of health issues. Lack of sleep can impact your brain function, your hormones, your immune health, and so much more.
Decreasing screen time before bed, cutting back on caffeine, and sticking to the same bedtime every night are three ways you can increase your sleep. If you find you’re going to bed too late at night, try heading to bed 5 minutes earlier each night. You can find more tips on getting a healthy sleep here.
Have a glass of water first thing in the morning
Having a glass of water first thing in the morning is one of the easiest habits you can incorporate into your daily routine. Some experts say you should wait at least 90 minutes after waking up before having any caffeinated beverage.
Reduce your time on social media
Being available and connected 24/7 can be harmful to mental health. Constantly being connected on devices can make us distracted, anxious, and less productive.
Setting a social media time limit — and sticking to it — is an easy way to reduce your time on social media. If you have an iPhone, you can set your Screen Time limit through your General Settings. If you’re an Android user, you can set your social media time limit by going to Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls.
Eat breakfast
We’ve all heard it before: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Having breakfast in the morning encourages healthier eating, balances blood sugar levels, and kickstarts your metabolism.
If mornings aren’t your thing, we suggest prepping your breakfast the night before. Overnight oats and breakfast smoothies are two easy breakfast options that can be prepped ahead of time.
If you’re looking to incorporate a breakfast smoothie into your routine, blend your smoothie the night before and leave it in your fridge overnight in one of these shaker bottles. Just give the bottle a good shake in the morning and you’re good to go.
Get your vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins for our bodies. In 2022, make a habit of getting outside and seeing the light. Light therapy is very important for overall mental health. Some studies have shown that sunlight can immediately increase serotonin levels in the brain. Along with getting your rays, remember to eat foods that are rich in vitamin D and take your daily supplement.
Eat the right foods
Our last healthy habit to incorporate into your 2022 daily routine is simple: eat the right foods. Intuitive eating is one of the most important things you can do for your diet. Eat mindfully and slowly, and try sticking to whole foods such as legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
The bottom line
Incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine may be challenging at first, but if you stick to them, the benefits will outweigh the initial struggle. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you have any questions about your health and well being.