The new year is freshly upon us, and so are the New Year’s resolutions. One of the most commonly made resolutions has always been focusing on health. Unfortunately, many people look at this and think that it immediately means spending time at the gym, cutting carbs, or starting a diet. While those are all things that can contribute to your overall health, they are far from the only way that you can work on improving your health this year.
The team at Medic USA, your primary care facility in Washington DC, is all about spending the year working on your health — but not necessarily weight loss. That is why, in today’s blog post, we are going to touch on a few of the more “uncommon” ways that you could look at this New Year’s resolution. Let’s dive right in.
Prioritize Your Sleep
If you’ve been feeling exhausted for a while now, chances are you’re not getting enough sleep. The reality is that a majority of people in the United States aren’t getting enough sleep on a regular basis. So, while you may feel like your late morning Saturdays are giving you all the shut-eye that you need to make up for the lack of sleep you get during the week, that’s simply not the case. If you really want to work on your health, in more ways than one, make the resolution to focus on your rest, and get more sleep as a whole.
Alone Time
While many of us are trying to factor “friend time” into our busy schedules, it’s been proven that alone time can actually be incredibly beneficial. With that being said, if this isn’t something that you’re doing regularly — spending time alone — then you absolutely want to try and get some more alone time in this next year. Though it may not be as fun as heading out on the town with your friends, this time alone will provide you with some free-time to get to know yourself better. At the end of the day, quality alone time can help you prioritize goals, work towards them, and minimize stress.
Practice Gratitude
Attitude is everything, and if you’re wanting to shift to a more positive focus in this new year, gratitude is the place to start. There have actually been quite a few studies that prove practicing gratitude can boost your health — what does that say about a positive mind? If this is something that you want to get into the practice of doing, start by thinking of one thing that you’re grateful for or that you appreciate, every day. It could be something as simple as the stranger that gave up their seat on the bus or as meaningful as your spouse and family. After a while, being grateful simply becomes natural.
Spend More Time Outside
As a whole, adults are most often low in vitamin D. It’s crazy that this has become the case, given that this is the vitamin that we receive from the sun! It’s really not that surprising, however, given that a majority of jobs take place in office spaces. If you know that you’re deficient in vitamin D or you are spending very little time outdoors as is, this is a fantastic resolution to make! Vitamin D has been accredited with boosting moods as well. So, if you’re looking for something natural to get you smiling, you might as well start with some extra time outdoors.
The best part about this particular resolution is that the sky’s the limit — literally! You can choose to spend time outdoors playing with your children or your pet, gardening, reading, taking a walk, or taking pictures. At the end of the day, all that matters is that you spend some additional time outside.
Stop By Medics USA
While the resolutions in today’s blog post may not be directly related to your health, they do contribute to your overall health. With that being said, it is still important that you schedule routine appointments with your primary care giver at Medics USA. Routine appointments with a doctor help to catch health issues early on, provide you with guidance in how to overcome medical challenges, and can help you achieve your dietary goals. Contact us today to get an appointment scheduled!
