New Year, New You: Healthy New Year’s Resolutions to Extend Your Life

Many Houstonians celebrate the new year by setting New Year's resolutions. The start of the year brings the promise of a fresh start. Maybe that means a fresh start in love, fresh start in your career or most importantly, a fresh start in health.

Taking the time to invest in healthy habits will help you to live a longer, more comfortable life. You may be surprised to learn you could begin making a drastic impact on your longevity with just 15 minutes a day.

Commit to an Exercise Habit

Emphasis on habit, because it doesn’t have to be as grand as an entire workout routine. Exercise is scientifically proven to extend your life, and with as little as 15 minutes a day, you could add up to three years to your life. Exercise is also an excellent mood regulator that may help reduce stress in your daily life and improve cognitive focus over time.

Eat Healthier

Healthy eating can be daunting, especially in a world where processed food and added sugars dominate the labels of many household staples. One New Year's resolution you can make this year is to eat healthier.

Eating healthier has many proven benefits including:

• Reducing the risk of heart disease
• Giving you more energy
• Helping your body repair and replenish cells
• Improving overall body functions
• Improving your focus

You don't have to start from scratch to improve your diet, though if you've got the strength of will, the New Year's blank slate may provide a convenient starting point to do so. You can start eating healthier by adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, limiting processed foods and making healthy item swaps for more nourishing meals.

De-Stress More Often

Stress is a significant burden for many people, and the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to commit to learning to manage stress. Chronic stress is linked to health conditions such as high blood pressure, poor digestion and muscle tension that results in constant body aches. If left unchecked, stress can wreak havoc on your body, worsen the symptoms of some pre-existing conditions and shorten your lifespan.

Extend your life by managing stress in the following ways:

• Take walks if you feel overwhelmed
• Get enough sleep each night
• Do a body or skin care ritual to relax
• Try breathing exercises
• Get professional mental health help

Consider creating a daily habit that allows you to de-stress consistently. Watch as your health, mood and overall life improve with the removal of added stress in your life.

Invest More Time into Reading Books That Are Engaging

Reading reduces stress and is a low-effort activity that doesn’t require a huge invest of time or money. A study by Yale University found a correlation between increased longevity and reading books for at least 3.5 hours per week. If you are looking for a new hobby that can both take your mind off things and introduce you to new ideas, reading is the way to go.

Set Limits on Social Media

Social media is a part of most people's daily lives. From checking Instagram in the morning to logging into Facebook on your break, there's always a new notification to attend to.

In excess, social media consumption can be harmful. Many platforms encourage obsessive use and may reinforce addictive behaviors in some individuals. Social media also exposes people to information that may be troubling, triggering or stressful.

Consider making a resolution to enforce personal limits surrounding social media. These may help extend your life by limiting the activities that add to your stress level, like spending too much time scrolling social media. Try time limits, restrict the devices you watch social media on or remove it from your morning or bedtime routine.

Excessive use of social media is shown to increase anxiety and certain symptoms of depression, disrupt sleep and aggravate other mental illnesses. Use the energy of the New Year to practice better social media habits and extend your life by allowing yourself to get better rest in place of endless scrolling.

See a Primary Care Physician

When was the last time you had a checkup? Scheduling a visit with your primary care physician is a great way to ring in the New Year. You can get support for anything that may have been ailing you in the previous year and uncover strategies for wellness with our team of healthcare professionals.

Receive Primary Care in Houston, TX

At St. Hope, we offer comprehensive primary care services to Houston-area residents so you can maintain your health and wellbeing. From immunizations to routine health and cancer screenings, our experienced specialists are here to help. Contact us online or call (713) 778-1300 to book an appointment.