Four Simple Wellness Habits to Adopt in 2024

You’ve heard it time and time again: The new year is an opportunity to make life-changing resolutions and adopt a new mindset around health and wellness. But while it’s tempting to set a goal to stop eating carbs, run a marathon, or never make a mistake at work again, once you ring in 2024 it can be difficult to keep up complex new routines.

The good news is that science proves new habits don’t have to be complicated to make a positive impact on your health. After all, a small habit you can consistently commit to is always going to be more effective than an ambitious resolution that never gets off the ground.

So, whether you’re looking to reduce stress, eat healthier, get better sleep, or establish regular exercise, here are four potential additions to your day if you’re looking for simple ways to improve your wellbeing in 2024:

Start a Mindfulness Journal

Feeling stressed about work? Looking to be more creative in your everyday life? Just craving a little bit of “me” time during the week? Journaling can be a quick and easy add to your mindfulness practice. In fact, taking the time to write out your thoughts and feelings can increase your focus, decrease mental distress, and relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety – and that’s just practicing for 15 minutes three days a week!

If you’re looking to keep yourself accountable to your new journaling practice, challenge yourself to make note of your mood in your wellness platform before and after you complete a writing session, so you can look back on improvements to your mental health at the end of the year.

Eat Colorfully

We all know that fruits and veggies are a key part of a healthy diet, but how do we start adding plants to our plates in a balanced way? For the answer, we might get inspiration from the rainbow!

When we focus on adding a wide variety of colors to our plate, we diversify the beneficial nutrients available to us, lowering the risk of chronic health conditions including heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some kinds of cancer. For example, pink, red, and orange fruits – like tomatoes, peaches, and grapefruits – are rich in lycopene, protecting against prostate cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. Meanwhile, deep green, blue, and purple foods – like spinach, blueberries and eggplants –  are high in antioxidants that could block the formation of blood clots.

For more ideas on how to boost the power of your plate, partner with a nutritionist to get an inside look on how to balance nutrient-rich foods with the things you love.

Set and Maintain a Media Curfew

Looking to catch more Z’s? Doom-scrolling before bed might be making that a challenge.

People who use devices in bed after lights out are shown to see shorter sleep times and decreased sleep quality. Why? The psychological stimulation often keeps us from winding down by heightening our emotional state, while the blue light that comes from phone screens can disrupt the body’s natural production of melatonin. The impact goes beyond just feeling groggy the next morning – not getting enough sleep can increase the risk of diabetes, hypertension, mood disorders, and more.

Improve sleep by limiting the technology and information you consume before bedtime, and trading your devices for something more low-tech like a book around one to two hours before you plan to drift off.

Ready to take a stand for more satisfactory snoozing? Wellness coaches can serve as expert guides on your quest to better sleep, with regular check-ins and practical plans for making the most of the time you spend dreaming.

Schedule a Weekly Workout Date with a Friend

When you have an accountability partner for your physical activity, you’re likely to be more motivated, more comfortable trying new things, and more consistent in maintaining your schedule of physical activity. That is to say: Everything is more fun with friends – even going to the gym or for a run.

Scheduling a regular workout session with someone you love spending time with helps you stay socially active while also pushing you to new heights with your fitness routine. Not only will the exercise help you stay fit and healthy , but building routine touchpoints in your relationships can also reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, depression, and even dementia for older adults.

Plan a new experience to kick off your first workout date. Check out the schedule at your onsite or nearsite wellness center for fun, energizing classes that meet participants at their current level of physical activity and get expert advice on sticking to your fitness goals.

Let Premise Health support your new health habits

Not sure where to start with your new habits, or looking for a partner to keep you accountable? Kickstart your year with an appointment with a certified wellness coach to get an introduction to what Premise Health has to offer. From webinars on how to launch new habits to the tools to keep track of your progress, Premise is here to support members with their health and wellness goals with onsite, nearsite, and virtual health options.

It’s part of our greater mission to help people get, stay, and be well no matter where they are. Get in touch today to learn more about Premise and how we can support your people through 2024 and beyond.