As the year is drawing to a close, it’s natural to think about what New Year’s resolutions to set to maximise your health and fitness in 2022. Keep reading to discover our top wellness goals for getting the most out of the New Year.

Make healthy diet choices

The new year is the perfect time to set resolutions for health and fitness, especially related to diet. We all tend to overindulge during the holidays, so January can present a great opportunity for setting some healthy eating goals for the coming year.

One of our favourite healthy resolutions is taking part in Dry January. The idea behind it is to go alcohol-free for the month of January to promote a healthier attitude towards alcohol use. Read more about the long and short term effects of alcohol on your body and bladder here. You could also couple this resolution with one to drink more fluids. It’s recommended that you drink six to eight cups or glasses of fluid a day, such as water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee.³ Plus, if you suffer from bladder issues, such as urinary incontinence, this new year’s resolution for health and fitness is ideal for you! This is because increasing your fluid intake can improve symptoms of an overactive bladder.⁴

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Improve your sleep hygiene

Getting enough sleep is important for both your physical and mental health, which is why improving your sleep hygiene is a great new year’s resolution for health and fitness. Good sleep can:

• boost your immunity, meaning you can more easily fend off bugs
• prevent weight gain, lowering your risk of obesity
• promote mental wellbeing, as chronic sleep deprivation can lead to clinical depression and generalised anxiety disorder
• ward off serious illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease
• increase fertility, perfect if you’re looking to start a family in 2022!⁵

You can implement these tips to get better quality sleep:

• set a sleep schedule; try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day
• avoid screens for at least 30 minutes before bedtime, as these emit blue light, which can hinder the production of melatonin, the hormone regulating sleep-wake cycles
• get outdoors – natural daylight helps to regulate your internal clock, which, in turn, promotes sleep at the right time
• get active – exercise can make it easier to fall asleep at night
• reduce caffeine consumption in the afternoon and evening; the stimulating effect of caffeine can keep you awake at night.⁶ Drinking coffee, even decaf, can also irritate your bladder⁷, so cutting out on caffeine can have a positive effect on your sleep and body.

Find a form of exercise to suit you

We all know that exercise is good for us; in fact, it is recommended that adults get 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week over four or five days⁸. Moreover, if you have bladder weakness, certain types of exercise may even improve your symptoms, such as Pilates, which strengthens your core muscles.⁹ However, it can be really difficult to fit activity into your routine. Therefore, our top tip would be to choose a type of exercise that suits you, whether it’s running, rock climbing, yoga or a gentle walk, and commit to fitting it into your routine several times a week.

From diet to sleep to exercise, if you implement these new year’s resolutions, you’re sure to feel an improvement in your health and fitness in 2022!