3 Daily Habits That Will Transform Your 2026
As we enter another new year, there’s no better time to adjust your daily habits to help you become the healthiest version of yourself mentally and physically. Here are three strategies you can incorporate into your New Year’s expectations and resolutions that will help ensure 2026 is your healthiest year yet! START EVERY DAY STRONG. Many Americans fall into the same routines year after year, and most are dangerous for their overall well-being. They stay up too late, wake up to an alarm a few hours later, scramble to get ready, and jump in the car as soon as possible to get to work. Your morning routine sets the tone for your day. If you’re in a hurry every morning, you will feel rushed and exhausted. Give yourself ample time in the morning to take care of yourself
and some simple chores. Make your bed, have a glass of water, take good care of your hygiene, eat something, and incorporate some movement into your mornings. It will be hard initially, but you’ll feel the benefits within a few weeks. DIET AND EXERCISE MATTER. This is probably not news to you, but we can’t downplay the importance of diet and exercise. Listen to your body; it will tell you what it needs. Many people fall into the trap of overeating without realizing it or starving themselves when they want to lose weight, but this won’t make them feel good. Eat when your body tells you to, stick to a healthy diet, and find time for exercise. You need to find ways to motivate yourself, especially when you want to stay in bed and stick to comfort foods. Your body will thank you.
DRINK MORE WATER. How much water do you drink each day? The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that men should drink about 15.5 cups of fluids daily and women should drink 11.5 cups. If you aren’t hitting these numbers, it’s time to adjust. Start and finish each day with a glass of water. Walk around with a refillable bottle. Staying hydrated will help your body function much better.
How Humor Brings Comfort to Families Dealing With Dementia
LAUGHTER THAT HEALS
What is the value of a good laugh? For dementia patients and their caregivers, it can be priceless.
the isolation experienced by many patients and caregivers. It also can restore a sense of meaning and dignity to life, shoring up patients’ self-worth. EASES AGITATION A hearty belly laugh reduces bloodstream levels of the stress hormone cortisol by more than 30%, according to a 2023 review of eight studies in PLOS One. Laughter therapy also has been shown to work as well as anti-anxiety medications in calming restlessness, but without the side effects. In addition, it boosts the oxygen levels in the blood and activates T-cells, strengthening the immune system, according to an Atlantic Health System seminar titled Chuckles, Chortles, and Giggles: The Benefits of Laughter for Seniors. TAKE ACTION If your life has felt humorless, take heart: It is possible through conscious effort to bring more laughter into your life. Watch comedy films on TV or listen to funny podcasts. Put up some humorous wall posters, cultivate friends who have a good sense of humor, and share some silly videos or memes. Before long, you may be laughing more without thinking about it … and sharing the health benefits with your loved ones as well!
Caring for a loved one with dementia can seem like anything but a laughing matter. But Jan. 24 is Global Belly Laugh Day, making this a good time to reflect on the abundant mental, physical, and social benefits of laughter. A look at recent research offers some insights. IMPROVES MOOD Global Belly Laugh Day originated in 2005 at the urging of a laughter yoga therapist, based on research showing an appreciation for humor fosters joy and hope. Laughter releases chemicals in your body called endorphins that can ease anxiety and support temporary improvements in cognitive function. In research, interventions that encourage laughter in patients with limited mobility have led to significant improvements in their mood. STRENGTHENS BONDS It has been said that laughter is the shortest distance between two people, and that is never more true when a dementia patient can enjoy a shared laugh with another person. Humor can bridge communication gaps more quickly than other methods, easing
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