6 Tiny Health Habits That Can Make a Big Difference This Year

It’s tempting to make ambitious health resolutions as we approach the new year, but these ambitious goals can be difficult to achieve and even harder to maintain. Instead, micro-resolutions, like these small, repeatable daily habits, can do more to improve your overall health and well-being throughout the year.

Starting your day by loading up on protein can have great benefits for the entire body. Protein is important for many essential biological activities, including immune system and hormonal function, bone density health, and blood sugar regulation.

Research suggests that eating protein early in the day can specifically improve heart health, blood pressure and cholesterol levels while boosting muscle protein synthesis, which helps maintain lean body mass, said Jason Machowsky, RD, CEP, a sports dietitian and clinical exercise physiologist.

He recommends options like eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or tofu for breakfast, aiming to achieve 20 to 30 grams of protein.

After eating or drinking, blood sugar naturally rises, but if your blood sugar rises too often, it can lead to serious health problems, affecting your kidneys, eyes, and even heart function.

Taking a brief 10-minute walk immediately after a meal is a great way to manage and avoid blood sugar spikes, according to a 2025 study in Nature. “This movement allows your muscles to absorb glucose directly from the bloodstream, which also makes it easier to control blood pressure and can improve mood,” Machowsky said.

To get the most benefits, it is best to do this walk, which can be of low to moderate intensity, within 30 minutes of a meal.

Diaphragmatic breathing, sometimes called “abdominal breathing,” is a type of breathwork that involves taking deep, slow breaths that use your diaphragm and your entire abdomen, not just your chest. Diaphragmatic breathing helps reduce blood pressure and heart rate, increase the amount of oxygen in the blood, and rid your lungs of gaseous waste.

“Slow, deep breathing also activates the body’s relaxation response by engaging the parasympathetic nervous system and supporting the brain-gut connection,” says Selena Snow, PhD, psychologist and founder and director of Snow Psychology Group. “As a result, diaphragmatic breathing can help promote a feeling of calm, improve mood, and reduce pain and discomfort.”

A 2025 study of young adults found that diaphragmatic breathing immediately improved mobility and lung function.

Regular physical activity can help reduce the risk of at least 20 chronic diseases and conditions, but fewer than half of adults meet the physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity (150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity). Yet according to a recent YouGov survey, around 25% of people want to “exercise more” in 2026, but one of the main reasons people don’t reach their exercise goals is a lack of time or motivation.

To address this, research suggests that five minutes of movement or stretching (short intentional bursts of activity) for every 30 to 60 minutes spent sitting can be a great way to get moving and improve metabolic and cardiovascular health. “Prolonged sitting is considered a health risk, increasing the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure,” Machowsky said.

These exercise snacks don’t necessarily require cardio-intensive activities. Instead, take a loop around your desk or visit the kitchen to refill your water glass. You can walk up and down the stairs, do a few squats, calf raises or lunges at your desk, suggest a walking meeting with colleagues, or even just get up and stretch to increase blood circulation and mobility. Setting an alarm or reminder on your phone can keep you accountable, Machowsky said.

According to the same YouGov poll, 22% of people plan to “eat healthier” in 2026. You can make this amorphous, open-ended resolution much more achievable by taking a specific approach to this “healthy eating” goal at mealtime, which involves eating leafy greens first.

“Prioritize eating vegetables at every meal to ensure you get essential nutrients before consuming other foods,” Machowsky said. It also reduces the risk of overeating, he added, because vegetables tend to be fibrous and high in fluid, making you feel full faster.

In a 2023 study, young women who ate vegetables first experienced a “significant reducing effect” on their blood sugar and insulin after eating a meal. Frequent spikes in blood sugar after meals can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and overall inflammation.

“Our thoughts often drift toward regrets about the past or anxiety about the future, which can negatively affect mood and cause increased arousal of the sympathetic nervous system,” Snow said. Frequent stress affects every system in your body, leading to negative health consequences that range in severity from muscle tension to cardiac stress and inflammation.

A great way to combat this sympathetic nervous system arousal and improve your overall well-being is to practice the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise, Snow said, which helps you center yourself in the present moment by focusing your attention on your five senses.

“Notice five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste,” Snow said. “Take a moment to fully register each sensation and allow yourself to be fully present.”