Health Female: 2021

Friday, December 31, 2021

10 Safe Ways to Usher in 2022 This New Year's Eve

Healthy Mind

10 Ways to Make New Year's Eve Special

Enjoy this list of fun and safe ways to ring in the New Year in a way that is both memorable and responsible.

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Healthy Trends to Kick off 2022

By Daphne Lee, News Editor

Happy New Year's Eve! Considering making a health-related resolution this year? We've explored health trends that emerged during the pandemic that are actually worth your while for a healthier 2022.

Today's Top Story

How to Exercise More Without Going Overboard

As gyms and fitness centers faced shutdowns last year, people turned to exercise bikes like Peloton and workout videos on YouTube. The fear of being a couch potato may have driven some people to exercise more than usual as a coping mechanism. But going too hard too fast can lead to injury and burnout.

Since we expect the at-home workout trend to continue, we asked experts how to safely and sustainably participate.

Personal trainer Sydney Cummings suggested avoiding videos or challenges with phrases like "calorie burn" or series that promise abs in a certain number of days.

"It's a responsibility of the fitness industry to think about the amount of eyes that see those titles and the ages of the people who see them, and how that sinks in," Cummings told Verywell. "They're given this false representation of a very short period of time and very drastic results, and that we should only aim for aesthetic changes."

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One study of nearly 13,000 participants found the largest increase in pandemic exercise occurred among people who previously only exercised once or twice a week, compared to "avid" athletes who worked out four or more times per week pre-pandemic.

Feel Better

The proliferation of working out from home has welcomed more people into the workout world. As long as you're doing it in moderation, you will likely reap both mental and physical benefits.

There's No Better Time to Start Meditating

While psychotherapy is expensive, meditation is (mostly) free, and therapists are recommending it. Although the practice of meditation has been around for thousands of years, mobile apps and virtual sessions have helped bring meditation into the mainstream. You can find guided meditation on Headspace whenever you need 10 minutes of quiet time, or you can follow meditation gurus who stream live sessions on social media.

Pay More Attention to Your Sleep Habits

Dramatic increases in sleep disruptions from pandemic stress have been dubbed "Coronasomnia." The phenomenon spurred growing interest in sleep-tracking devices like Oura rings and Whoop as people try to understand their own sleep pattern and quality.

Experts caution that commercially available trackers don't do a great job of tracking the different phases of sleep. But for the most part, sleep tracking is a positive thing, since it encourages mindfulness about lifestyle factors that get in the way of a good night's rest.