How to improve your life in 2024 according to science – 01/01/2024 – Balance

As another new year approaches, you may be reflecting on what you would like to achieve and what kind of person you want to be in the next 12 months.

But while about a third of us plan to set goals for ourselves in 2024, meeting them is another matter.

In recent years, research has revealed that between 17% and 45% of us abandon these attempts within the first month.

And most people give up on their resolutions mid-year, according to one study. (Although, if we consider a recent YouGov poll, Americans were slightly better at keeping their resolutions last year, with only 16% of people giving up before the end of the year.)

These failures can lead to what some psychologists describe as a yearly cycle of “false hope syndrome.”

Instead, there is some evidence that it may be better to set goals that are more achievable. Research suggests that goals that are realistic, specific and where success can be easily measured tend to be easier to achieve than those that are abstract or focused on avoiding something, such as quitting smoking or drinking.

Deciding what to focus on, however, can be difficult. So to help you make up your mind, here are seven aspects of your life you can focus on in the first week of the new year, using some science-based tips.

Day 1: Focus on your sleep

Avoid bright lights two hours before bed or looking at your phone before bed. Recent research has also found that having a consistent bedtime can help us maintain a healthy gut.

And while you’re spending more time in bed, you can also try lucid dreaming, a state of consciousness of dreaming while still asleep.

Many people use lucid dreaming to help control nightmares, solve problems, and explore creative ideas.

Day 2: Focus on your body

If you’re a fidget, it’s time to embrace this trait: Those distracted movements like tapping your foot, shaking your knee, or wiggling your fingers can burn a surprising amount of calories and help reduce stress.

This is also a good time to get outside and get some exercise, which has been linked to better heart health, a stronger immune system and greater weight loss.

While you’re doing this, you can even try turning around during your next walk and walking backwards.

Walking backwards has been found to burn more calories than walking forwards while also strengthening your back muscles. It is particularly recommended for people with knee problems, as it reduces tension in the knee joint and increases hamstring flexibility. It can also give your brain a boost.

And don’t be afraid of getting muddy on those backward walks; Getting dirty can help increase the diversity of beneficial microorganisms that live on our bodies. People with skin conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis tend to have an impoverished community of microbes on their skin.

As the body’s largest organ, the skin is surprisingly influential – and plays a curious role in shaping our health.

Dry or damaged skin can release biochemicals that contribute to inflammation throughout the body, eventually affecting other organs such as the heart and brain.

Taking better care of this delicate organ, such as using sunscreen and moisturizer, can not only help you maintain a more youthful appearance but also improve your biological age.

Day 3: Focus on your mind

Talk to a stranger, enjoy a good scare, embrace the chaos of life. All of these things can help you feel happier, more resilient, and less stressed, according to science.

You can also try something new. Challenging yourself by learning a new skill to increase brain plasticity, which helps the mind adapt and reconnect.

If you’re feeling particularly energetic, you can also try some squats.

By working with and against gravity, these seemingly simple exercises can give your brain a surprising boost in blood flow, which in turn can improve our cognitive and problem-solving abilities.

If this seems too difficult, you can try thinking that you are young. Research shows that if you consider yourself young, you may live longer.

It can also be worth embracing the power of contemplation, whether climbing a mountain, gazing at the ocean, or marveling at a starry sky. Contemplation can reduce stress, increase memory, and provide a greater sense of connection with others and the world around you.

Or why not sing a little – perhaps the most accessible pain reliever in the world – and do some aerobic exercise that releases endorphins, the chemicals that make the brain “feel good”?

Another option is to simply breathe. Research indicates that breathing exercises can reduce stress, anxiety and lower blood pressure. They can also help you sleep.

Day 4: Focus on your relationships

Having friends is good for you — they can boost your immune system, improve your cardiovascular health, and make you feel happier. If you add a little rhythm to the time you spend with your friends, it can also help make you feel closer.

Walkers who sync their steps tend to communicate better, while tapping a rhythm with a friend can make you both like each other more.

And the friends we have can change our habits, for better or for worse. We like to pick up cues from the people around us, and these can have a powerful impact on our behavior.

If you’re looking for something other than friendship, you should accept your quirks. Small changes in the clothes we wear and having tastes and opinions that differ from conventions can make us more attractive.

Adopting a different attitude towards forgiveness can also be a simple step that can bring multiple benefits to our lives.

Although it can be difficult, saying “I forgive you” — and really meaning it — can reduce our stress levels, help us make more money, and even keep us healthier as we age.

Day 5: Focus on what you eat

December is rarely a time for calorie counting or moderation, and with good reason. With tables piled high with savory and sweet treats, many of us go overboard. It’s no surprise that so many of us start the new year with this theme on our minds.

If you still have leftovers from the holidays, eating them instead of throwing them away is better for the climate. And although microwaving them may be frowned upon in certain circles, it is the best way to retain the nutrients in your food.

Furthermore, there is no negative effect of using a microwave (although you can avoid using plastic containers in it).

Having a balanced diet is obviously good any time of year, but probably even better after all that eating. Research suggests that junk food — and yes, that includes post-lunch chocolates — can be as bad for your mind as it is for your body.

Studies have shown that fruits and vegetables of different colors can improve brain health and reduce the chances of developing heart disease.

And although in certain countries many people choose to spend January without drinking, it is not necessary to do the same with coffee: research suggests that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of dying from a stroke, heart disease or cancer. Although, of course, it’s important to consume coffee – like most things – in moderation.

Day 6 – Focus on your fitness

While physical exercise can help build strength, burn fat, and improve mental health, it can also give a boost to the health of your gut microbes.

It’s probably not worth getting too obsessed with reaching your goal of 10,000 steps per day — some studies suggest that a lower number (less than 5,000 per day in some cases) may be enough to improve health.

If you want to get in shape quickly, just six sessions of interval training can increase maximum oxygen consumption, a measure of overall fitness and the efficiency of our body’s ability to burn the fuel stored in our cells.

The time of day you exercise can also make a difference—at least when it comes to your performance. Research on Olympic swimmers and cyclists, for example, suggests that they tend to be faster at night. But this may also depend on your circadian rhythms.

For those looking to squeeze in a few extra sessions at the gym, it might be worth embracing the power of placebo.

Athletes who take inert pills have been shown to perform better than those who don’t, an effect that mirrors what doctors see with medical placebos.

But the effect also works with “social placebos” – training with others in a way that increases bonding and provides support can reduce feelings of fatigue and pain.

Day 7 – Focus on your hobbies

While having a few idle moments to let your mind wander can have surprising benefits, some people will go to great lengths to rid themselves of boredom.

People who are easily bored can get sucked into addictive behaviors, such as compulsive cell phone use, and this trait has been linked to greater susceptibility to a range of mental health problems.

Taking up a new hobby can help keep your brain younger, help stimulate creativity — and stave off boredom. Nobel-winning scientists, for example, list about three times as many personal hobbies as the average person – and are particularly likely to engage in creative activities such as music, painting or writing poetry.

There’s good news, too, if your favorite pastime is reading a good book: people who read fiction are better at figuring out what others are thinking and feeling.

And if you enjoy reading aloud to others, it can not only improve your memory of what you’re reading, but also make complicated text easier to understand.

Bonus: Focus on your sex life

Our prehistoric ancestors loved sex so much that they even had it with Neanderthals. Even Queen Victoria of Great Britain practiced the activity with enthusiasm. But despite this passion for sex, many of her mysteries are still being investigated.

For one thing, adopting a “sexual growth mindset,” recognizing that intimate relationships should be nurtured rather than expected to work out automatically, can help people deal with problems in the bedroom.

Today there are also plenty of apps that allow people to monitor their orgasms. These include “biofeedback” vibrators, for example, which use data from internal sensors to help people visualize their orgasms.

For those who fear an awkward conversation with their children this year, research suggests that answering questions honestly and openly from a young age can establish a positive pattern that makes it easier to talk about more complex issues later.

And banishing myths around sex more generally could be a positive step. For some women, losing their virginity is fraught with anxiety, judgment and painful exams, in part due to long-held ideas about the hymen.

Learning how this little piece of tissue really works and changing the language we use to describe it can help improve sex for everyone.

_{This text was originally published here.}