Healthy Habits for the New Year

The new year is a great time to reevaluate your habits and consider making changes to improve your health and well-being. Here are a few to consider:

Get Quality Sleep
Sleep is an essential part of overall health, and sleep deprivation can lead to serious consequences. For instance, lack of sleep may increase your risk of weight gain, heart disease, and depression. Decreasing screen time before bed, reducing light pollution in your bedroom, cutting back on caffeine, and getting to bed at a reasonable hour are some simple ways to improve sleep hygiene.

Read Ingredient Labels
The only way you’ll finally cut back on added sugar or eat less sodium—whatever your specific healthy-eating ambition—is if you know what’s in the food you’re consuming. Packaged foods we buy at the grocery store can have a lot of unnecessary ingredients. Instead, try buying foods with a shorter list so that you’re eating the nutrients that are naturally in foods—a good way to stay within healthy limits of things like fat, carbs, and sugar.

Get Up and Go
Exercise has tremendous health benefits for both the body and the mind and there are so many different ways to create movement in your day. Whether you love biking, swimming, dancing or going to the gym, it is imperative that you find some form of movement that you enjoy and make time for it on a daily basis.

Make Lists
People may joke about constantly jotting down what you need to do, as opposed to actually doing it, but a list can help keep you on track, whether it’s the morning’s errands, a shopping list, or even books you want to read.

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