2020 was a very unique year for everyone. We had to juggle what life threw at us during a worldwide pandemic; everything we knew to be normal changed right before our eyes. This shift caused some of us to lose sight of the healthy habits we once knew.

The new year is a perfect time to reassess your health and wellness goals. This is your opportunity to double down and kick your health and wellness into high gear.

At the start of each new year, I usually recommend and review five important habits to incorporate into your New Year’s wellness plan. This year, I am adding a sixth, and it is possibly the most important of all the recommendations.

Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

As we remain vigilant in our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, the number one thing you can do for your health and wellness in 2021 is get the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available and offered. Front-line healthcare workers in Prowers County received the first round of vaccines in mid-December. Visit prowersmedical.com/covid-19-vaccine/ for information on phased distribution to get an idea of when you are eligible to receive the vaccine.

If you have reservations about the vaccine, talk with your healthcare provider about their experience or call COHELP at 877-462-2911 with questions or concerns. The COVID-19 vaccine is our way to eventually get back to a more normal way of life.

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

Do not judge yourself in comparison to others. Be happy with the person you see in the mirror. Be willing to put in a little time and effort to make you a better person. This can be challenging with social media, television and advertising suggesting who we should be and what success should look like. Try to tune out these messages and concentrate on where you are and where you want to be in a month, in three months and at the end of 2021. Come up with a plan for you.

Make small achievable goals to stay motivated and keep you moving forward. If weight loss is a goal, a one-to-two-pound loss per week is achievable and sustainable for the long term. A lot of the patients I have counseled during my career think this is too slow. The one question I always ask is this: “If you were 50 pounds lighter by this time next year, would that make you happy?” The answer, almost 100% of the time, is of course.

Get More Sleep

Work on developing healthy sleep habits. Many of you who know me will often hear me say, “Sleep is the new workout.” Sleep allows us to recover and repair. The goal is to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep a day. This can be a challenge for many of us.

Like changing eating habits, make slow changes that will add up to meaningful changes over time. Think 5 to 10 minutes of extra sleep per day in January, another 5 to 10 minutes in February and so on throughout the year. If you continue this trend throughout 2021, you will have added 1 to 2 hours of extra sleep per day.

Exercise

You must exercise. Current guidelines recommend adults perform at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. That’s a little over 20 minutes a day. Again, if you are not currently exercising, start small at 5 to 10 minutes a day in January, 10 to 15 minutes a day in February and 15 to 20 minutes a day in March. By April, you will be meeting the minimum of 20 to 25 minutes a day.

Spiritual Fitness

Stress causes a lot of health problems that we sometimes cannot manage on our own. Utilizing the resources of a church you may belong to can be invaluable. Life can sometimes be overwhelming and knowing you have a place that can help guide you through tough life problems is key to your health and wellbeing.

Oral Health

Good health starts with oral health. Make sure to see your dentist twice a year. If you don’t have one, make an appointment to become an established patient. All of our nutrition starts with the mouth, and if you don’t take care of your teeth, many health problems will arise.

If a problem does occur, a dentist can suggest a plan to get you back on track. If you haven’t seen a dentist in a while, there is no time like the present, and the longer you wait, the worse a health condition may get.

It is not always easy to maintain good health and wellness habits, but the work you put into changes, and the more consistently you work at these changes, the healthier you will be in the new year.

Make this the year your health and wellness goals become a reality. If you need help with your wellness plan, Prowers Medical Center is here to help.