HealthyLife Articles

Tag: focus

Set Goals 2

SleepWell® Program

Week 2

View sleep improvement as a long-term project, especially if you have had poor sleep for a long time. First, define small steps you want to take. Continue to reflect on your efforts.

Small Steps

Think of the actions you take on a daily basis as small steps towards your bigger goal. This guide has already given you many ideas for small steps. Examples are limiting caffeine and dimming the lights one hour before bedtime. Identify your next change and use the following guidelines to improve your goal. All goals should be:

Stay motivated with the small successes you achieve along the way. Use your SleepWell® Tracker every day for feedback on the effect your actions have on your sleep.

Reminder:If your sleep issues are chronic (last longer than three weeks), your primary goal should be to schedule an appointment with your doctor or a sleep specialist.

Practice Goal-Setting

Strengthen your goal using the S.M.A.R.T. tool. Start with a simple statement about what you want to accomplish. Next, write how your goal will be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.

Barriers to Change

As you think more about your goal, roadblocks may appear. You may need tools or skills to achieve your goal. Identify what is making it difficult for you to change. Barriers do not mean you can’t make the change. Identify challenges that must be overcome to succeed.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Find The Energy To Exercise

BE FIT

Too tired to work out? Try these tips to boost energy and get moving.

1. Move around. At work, try to switch between sitting and standing. Doing too much of one or the other may leave you feeling drained.

2. Sip lots of water. Starting in the morning, drink water and keep drinking it throughout the day. This can keep energy levels from sinking in the afternoon.

3. Eat healthy carbs. Choose whole grains, fruits and vegetables, such as carrots.

4. Watch your breathing. Slow, deep breaths can relax and energize you throughout the day.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Find Your Word Of The Year

WELL-BEING

While New Year’s resolutions might be popular, they often don’t last past January. This year, skip the resolutions and try a word of the year instead.

A word of the year is a single word that serves as a guide or theme for what you would like to focus on this year. Examples include joy, passion, fearless, and courage.

Here’s a process to find your word:

* Reflect on what you hope the upcoming year will look like.

* Ask yourself some questions:

– This time next year, what do I want to have achieved?

– What do I want more or less of in my life?

– How do I want to spend my time?

– What aspects of myself do I need to nourish?

* Brainstorm a list of words.

* Narrow it down to two or three that most resonate with you.

* Give yourself a week or two to reflect on your shortlist and then choose one word as your word of the year.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Self-Care For Your Brain

SELF-CARE CORNER

Your brain needs care just like any other part of the body. As you age, your brain naturally shrinks, and certain hormones and neurotransmitters decline. It’s not uncommon for people to notice changes in their memory, thinking, and other cognitive abilities.

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce cognitive decline. When you care for your brain, you protect your ability to focus, remember, and learn new things.

Your brain needs

A healthy brain relies on a healthy lifestyle:

* Quality nutrients that support brain cells

* Omega 3 fats from fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils such as flaxseed

* Vitamins D, E, K, and B vitamins from a variety of fruits, vegetables, and sunshine (Vitamin D)

* Minerals such as iron, copper, and magnesium from leafy greens and other plant foods

* 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night

* Regular exercise and movement to promote blood flow and protect blood pressure

* Time to relax and de-stress

* Regular mental stimulation and challenge

Brain drainers

Some unhealthy choices or physical conditions can worsen mental decline over time. Anything that negatively impacts the health of the body affects the health of the brain, such as:

* Smoking and other tobacco and nicotine products, such as chewing tobacco

* Excessive alcohol intake

* High blood pressure

* Being overweight or obese

* Lack of physical activity

* Poor diet, especially processed foods and lots of red meat

* Social isolation and loneliness

Brain self-care

Eating a healthy diet that focuses on plants, getting enough physical activity, and sleeping well is good for every part of your body. But, your brain also benefits from self-care to meet its unique needs. Here are some ideas:

* Meditate to promote calming brain waves

* Learn an instrument to introduce a new skill

* Read daily to expand your knowledge

* Do a crossword or other type of puzzle to challenge your brain

* Pick up a new hobby

* Explore a new place

* Volunteer for a cause you believe in

* Be social and meet new people

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Simple Steps To A Great Work Day

WORK LIFE

Do you feel like you can’t concentrate or keep your energy up at work? A few simple fixes can make a huge difference in your energy and concentration levels all day long.

Pack a lunch and snacks the night before.Stay up a few extra minutes to do this at night. Chances are, you’ll be too rushed in the morning.

Set a water alarm.Dehydration can make you feel sluggish. Set a computer alarm that reminds you to drink throughout the day.

Skip the screens at night.Light from phones and TVs can keep you from getting quality sleep. Turn off screens two hours before bed to help your body relax and fall asleep.

Sources: National Institutes of Health, National Sleep Foundation

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Use Breathing To Lower Stress

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

What do you do to relax? Many people sit down with their smartphones or in front of a TV. But these things may not actually help you de-stress. They could make you even more stressed, especially if you’re watching the news or social media.

To fight stress, you need to engage the body’s ability to relax. Your body has a natural way to decrease heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. This helps you cope with stress in healthy ways. It can decrease anxiety, too. And it only involves slow, deep breathing and some focus.

Time to breathe

Take a few minutes each day to do this exercise. You may find it makes a huge difference in your stress levels!

* Lie down or sit in a comfortable chair.

* Close your eyes and put one hand on your belly.

* Think about your breathing. Is it fast or slow? Does your hand move up and down when you breathe in and out?

* Slowly bring more air into your lungs. Allow your belly to inflate like a balloon as you breathe in.

* Let the air out gently, letting your belly flatten back down.

Do this for about five minutes to start. Then, increase to 10 minutes or more as you can. Try to do it every day. You’re worth the few minutes it takes to release stress and feel better.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Food For The Brain

HEALTHY EATING

Mental health may seem like it’s all about thoughts and feelings, but your diet plays a role in how your brain functions. Your food choices may contribute to declining mental health. On the flip side, a quality diet may help manage mental health struggles. For optimal mental health, what you eat matters.

Good nutrition helps

A wealth of research supports the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet for optimal health. This applies to mental health, too. When you choose a plant-based diet, your brain works at its best. A quality diet:

* Provides necessary nutrients for normal brain function

* Supports the health of the gut microbiome, which connects to the brain and influences mood

* Promotes resilience to stress

* Provides consistent energy to feel alert and productive

* Supplies essential nutrients to produce hormones and neurotransmitters that influence how you feel

Poor nutrition can hurt

The average Western diet is high in saturated fats, added sugars, and processed foods. These foods negatively impact your health and, over time, increase your risk of chronic diseases, including mental health conditions. Too much poor-quality food and too little nutritious food is bad for your brain. Poor diet:

* Promotes a chronic inflammatory state in the body

* Contributes to oxidative stress in the brain

* Worsens mood disorders

* Disrupts the balance of mood-boosting hormones

* Increases appetite and food cravings

Good nutrition for your brain

In a plant-based diet, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils should form the base of your meals. Lean animal foods such as chicken, fish, eggs, and low-fat dairy provide healthy protein in small portions.

Try these tips to eat well for your brain:

* Begin your day with a high-fiber bowl of oatmeal or other whole grain with fruit.

* Snack on raw vegetables, fruit, or a small handful of nuts or seeds.

* Choose healthy oils when cooking, such as olive and avocado oil.

* Limit sugary beverages and choose plain or flavored water most often.

* Add dark leafy greens to salads, soups, smoothies, and entrees for a boost of nutrients.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Stress Less For Success

Stress Management

Set career and personal goals that have meaning for you and that can be achieved.

* Do your best.

* Accept that you don’t have to be perfect.

* When something is bothering you, speak up. Do so with tact, clarity, and respect.

* If you feel overwhelmed with your workload, discuss solutions with your supervisor.

Separate work from your home and personal life. Make time for leisure activities you enjoy.

* Focus on what you can accomplish.

* At work, take 5-minute walk breaks.

* Don’t fret about things that are out of your control.

* Don’t skip lunch.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Command Yourself To Relax

Stress Management

Imagine scraping your nails across a blackboard or biting into a raw lemon. Either thought probably made you cringe-the power of suggestion is that strong. Used correctly, suggestion is yet another effective stress-management tool.

A technique called autogenic training is based on the power of suggestion and was developed many years ago to reduce muscle tension in chronic headache sufferers. Basically, you give yourself a series of verbal commands geared to induce feelings of either heaviness or warmth. “Heaviness” commands promote muscle relaxation; “warmth” commands relax the blood vessels, so blood flows more freely, triggering sensations of warmth. Together, the two sensations promote relaxation. Here’s how it’s done.

1. Choose a quiet environment with no distractions. Dim the lights and wear comfortable clothing. Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes.

2. Start with your right arm (if you’re right-handed) or your left arm (if you’re left-handed), and slowly give yourself these verbal cues:

– My arm is heavy. (Repeat three times for each arm.)

– My leg is heavy. (Repeat three times for each leg.)

– Both my arms and legs feel heavy. (Repeat three times.) It might help to visualize small weights attached to your arms and legs.

3. Follow the same sequence for the “warmth” commands:

– My arm is warm. (Repeat three times for each arm.)

– My leg is warm. (Repeat three times for each leg.)

– Both my arms and legs feel warm. (Repeat three times. It might help to imagine your arms and legs submerged in warm bath water or basking in sunlight.)

4. To complete the exercise, take a deep breath and say, “I am calm.”

Note: People with certain medical or psychiatric conditions (like severe depression) shouldn’t practice relaxation without first checking with their physicians.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Just Say No To Stressful Thoughts

Stress Management

When nagging thoughts or worries stand in the way of feeling good, a technique called thought stopping is an effective way to eradicate them. The trick is to recognize negative thoughts, then reduce their impact.

Here’s an example: You’re so distressed by a petty remark a coworker makes, you can’t concentrate on anything else, and you dwell on it for hours. Here’s what to do.

1. Isolate the stressful thought.

2. Close your eyes and focus on it briefly.

3. Count to three.

4. Shout “Stop!” (Or, if others are in earshot, imagine a stop sign, a flashing red light, or the word “stop” in bold letters.)

5. If the thought’s still present, repeat steps 3 to 5.

6. Resume normal activity, feeling better.

You can use this technique anytime you find yourself obsessed with negative thoughts. (If work problems dominate your thoughts, substitute an “off duty” sign for the stop sign in the exercise described above.)

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026