12 Simple Tips for Making 2020 Your Healthiest Year Yet

Kick off 2020 on a calm note by trying out meditation, which has been credited with helping to reduce stress, improve sleep and lower blood pressure, among other health benefits. Intimidated? No need to be: The Inscape app can help you learn to focus and center yourself in the comforts of your own home.

Learn more: Meditate to … Boost Your Confidence? You Can With These 3 Modern-Day Meditations

Does it feel like winter will never end? Don’t let the last few weeks of cold weather compromise your kids’ health. Instead, help give them the immune support they need.

To help keep little nasal passages clear and healthy, your goal should be to flush, cleanse and moisturize so that mucus can be extracted as easily as possible. One way to do this: Use a cool mist humidifier to add moisture to the air.

Learn about more tips like this from a pediatrician: Dreading Winter? Check Out These 3 Simple Ways to Help Keep Your Kids Healthy This Season

Combat daylight saving time-induced sleepiness by getting in some early morning sun. One simple idea: Soak up some rays first thing in the AM by sipping your coffee on the back porch to help regulate your circadian rhythm, aka your body’s internal clock.

Learn more: 9 Simple Ways to Survive Daylight Saving Time

Spring is here! And so are allergies. But taking a few simple precautions can help keep sneezing at bay.

Case in point: Even if it’s not sunny, put on shades when you leave the house. Pollen can enter your body through your eyes, so sunglasses—particularly the wraparound kind—can help decrease your exposure. And while you’re out and about, park your car away from pollen-raining trees.

Learn more: A 24-Hour Guide to Improving Your Allergy Symptoms

The best Mother’s Day gift you can give yourself? Sleep! A simple way to set yourself up for success: Research published in Early Child Development and Care found that when babies and toddlers with sleep onset problems were given 15-minute massages prior to bedtime for one month they began to fall asleep sooner than children who didn’t receive massages.

Bonus: While better sleep is certainly a boon for you, it’s also a brain-builder for babies.

Learn more: The Brain-Boosting Secret Every Parent of a Baby Should Know

Your first order of business as the mercury rises: protecting yourself from harmful UV rays.

In order for sunscreen to really do its job, you need to use it properly. This means applying it at least 15 minutes before heading outdoors so it can fully set on the skin’s surface and provide maximum resistance against the elements, including water.

There’s also a formula for how much you should apply: The rule of thumb is to use 1 ounce, which is about the size of a golf ball, for your whole body, covering all exposed skin with an even layer of sunscreen.

Learn more: 5 Things We Now Know About the Safety and Effectiveness of Sunscreen

The longer days of summer are prime time to beef up your workout routine, but if you’re struggling with joint pain, it can be tough to embrace what the great outdoors has to offer. Consider checking out Health Partner for Knees and Health Partner for Hips—digital tools that can help you navigate the condition and get back to being active.

Learn more: Health Partner: The Digital Tool That Can Help You Navigate Your Knee, Hip or Weight-Loss Journey

Did you know that Contact Lens Health Week falls in August? Make sure yours are in tip-top shape by cleaning them well.

The key to keeping reusable contact lenses germ-free is to rub them between your fingers (wash your hands with soap and water first!) when you clean them with a disinfecting solution recommended by your eye doctor. With this move, you’re literally rubbing away microbes and other deposits. Then give them a good rinse with the solution.

Learn more: 5 Things Your Contact Lenses Wish They Could Tell You

Do you have a child with autism? Help your kid prepare for another year in the classroom and set up a safe space in school by reaching out to your child’s teacher before the school season starts to identify a place she can go for a few minutes if she feels overwhelmed or tired.

Learn more: 13 Ways to Help Prep a Child With Autism for Back-to-School Season

Taking care of your teeth and gums offers more reward than just a healthy smile: Research suggests your oral hygiene may also have an impact on your overall health.

So, during National Dental Hygiene Month, take a look at exactly how good a job you’re doing by capturing a video of yourself while you’re brushing. Why? One study found that people who recorded their toothbrushing sessions for just two weeks increased both their accuracy and number of brush strokes, helping improve their overall technique.

Learn more: 9 Tips to Boost Your Oral Hygiene Routine

Burning the candle at both ends this busy holiday season?

Commit to better sleep with this easy tip: Create a simple bedtime routine where you put down your smartphone at the same time each night and do something low-tech, like reading a book. It also helps to make sure your bedroom is dark, cool and quiet—an ideal environment for shut-eye.

Learn more: How to Manage Common Energy Pitfalls Every Decade of Your Life

Get ahead on your New Year’s resolutions. One important habit to get into, especially this time of year: practicing gratitude.

Research has consistently uncovered that feeling grateful can improve both your physical and emotional well-being. One study done at the University of California, Davis, for example, found that people who routinely count their blessings report better moods, healthier coping behaviors, fewer physical symptoms and overall more life happiness than those who don’t.

Learn more: 4 Total Wellness Resolutions for 2020 to Start Tackling Now