Get a Dry January buddy, eat black-eyed peas and try a polar bear plunge — plus 10 more health hacks to kick the new year off
And just like that … it’s 2025. After the holiday hubbub and sluggishness of Twixmas, it’s time to snap back into work mode — and get cracking on any resolutions you might have set for yourself. But you don’t need a big “new year, new you” overhaul to get this year off to a healthier start. Small actions — like the ones outlined below — can make a big difference, whether that’s squeezing short “exercise snacks” into your day, starting your morning with a hearty, warming bowl of oatmeal or making a point of going outside (minus your phone!) on your lunch break.
🤢 Hit up these hangover cures. Go too hard on the New Year’s Eve bubbly? If you’re feeling rough this morning, drinking water, eating carbs and popping an aspirin or ibuprofen (but not a Tylenol, which can exacerbate the alcohol’s effects on your liver) may put you on the path to recovery. There’s one hangover cure you can skip, however: the “hair of the dog.” Experts say having another drink may make you temporarily feel better but also prolongs the amount of time it takes to bounce back from the booze.
🤞 Eat for good luck. Various cultures ring in the New Year with special dishes, from pomegranate seeds to grapes. Does it work? Who knows? Should you try them anyway? Why not? In the U.S., black-eyed peas are a firm favorite, and they’re healthy to boot. The nutrient-dense beans are packed with protein, fiber and good-for-you polyphenols. Serve ‘em up with collard greens (high in fiber, vitamins A, C and K, folate and more) and cornbread (contains phosphorus and B vitamins, but watch out for sodium), which are also associated with good luck. Or mix it up and whip up a nontraditional take, such as Carla Hall’s black-eyed pea salad.
🧊 Consider a polar bear plunge. From Austin, Texas, to the Jersey Shore, New Year’s Day means swapping your sweater for a swimsuit and taking an ice-cold dip. Fans of the tradition say it’s a great way to jolt yourself into a new year mindset (and make you forget about that hangover you woke up with). While evidence is limited, health experts say a cold plunge could help lower inflammation, provide pain relief, ease stress and awaken the senses — provided it’s done safely.
🩸 Find out your blood type — and consider donating. January is National Blood Donor Month, and it’s worth remembering that donating blood (for those who are able) is good for you, too. And while people with the blood type O negative are known as universal donors, because their red blood cells can be used on anyone in an emergency, it’s definitely worth donating regardless of your blood type, as the preference is to have matching blood types. Don’t know your blood type? Here are a few ways to find it, including consulting your parents, taking an at-home test or checking your records after making a blood donation (yet another reason to roll up your sleeves).
🍷 Bring on Dry (or Damp?) January. If your 2025 agenda involves cutting back on the booze, experts recommend enlisting the help of a like-minded friend who can keep you on track and making note of any benefits you enjoy from not drinking (like better sleep or fewer “What did I say last night?!” panics). This might also be time to experiment with some fun mocktails — try these dietitian-approved tips — but be careful not to overdo it if you’re swapping soda for alcohol.
🗄️ Tidy up. Yes, there is an official Clear Off Your Desk Day, and guess what? It’s Jan. 13 this year, so go ahead and set a reminder. It’s time to file away the papers you need, shred the stuff you don’t and toss any old Post-it notes, empty coffee cups, takeout cutlery and other detritus cluttering your work space. Research says a clean workspace improves focus and productivity; conversely, one study found that people with messy desks were perceived as more neurotic, less agreeable and less conscientious.
😔 Remember that Blue Monday isn’t real. If you go into January bracing yourself for the most depressing day of the year, aka Blue Monday, you can stop. As the Guardian has reported, the “holiday” (which this year would fall on Monday, Jan. 20), was conceived to help a U.K. travel firm sell more vacations to people looking to ward off their winter blues, and the psychologist behind the concept has since discredited it. While there’s no reason to fear this one particular day, some people (about 5% of U.S. adults) may experience seasonal affective disorder this time of year. If you’re experiencing symptoms (low energy, changes to eating and sleeping habits) that seem more persistent or life-altering than a standard seasonal slump, raise it with your doctor.
🧑⚕️ Stay on top of your cervical health. Thanks to the HPV vaccine, rates of cervical cancer are down among young women. But screenings are also down, and doctors say that’s a big concern. An action item to consider for this month, which is also Cervical Cancer Awareness Month? Making sure you’re up to date on screenings, whether that’s a Pap test (recommended every three years), HPV test (recommended every five years) or co-testing. Guidelines vary by age, so check here to see what’s recommended for you.
🧀 Get your cheese fix. If you’re fond of fondue, this one’s for you: Jan. 20 is Cheese Lover’s Day, and you’d be remiss in not chomping on some cheddar or getting some gouda in your belly. From a health standpoint, cheese is an excellent source of calcium and protein, though full-fat dairy comes with a lot of warnings about sodium and saturated fat that can wreak havoc on your cholesterol level. For the record, Today rates cottage cheese as the healthiest, followed by soft cheeses like ricotta, mozzarella and feta, which tend to be lower in fat. But there’s also no shame in enjoying your favorite cheese in moderation.
🐍 Celebrate the Lunar New Year. Need something fun, festive and awe-inspiring to brighten up those dreary January days? Look for Lunar New Year celebrations, from lion dances to lantern festivals, in your area. The 15-day festival marking the first new moon of the lunar calendar kicks off this year on Jan. 29 and will usher in the Year of the Snake. If you’re new to the event, consider this an opportunity to learn more about deep-rooted cultural customs — including the importance of “sweeping away the dust,” by cleaning the house days beforehand to bring good luck — celebrated in many Asian countries, and to soak up the sights, sounds and foods of the festivities.
To do this month:
Eat: your greens. It may not be as sexy as spring’s explosions of peas and asparagus, but don’t write off winter produce. This is leafy greens’ time to shine. Slip some spinach into your smoothie for extra iron. Upgrade your salad by swapping out iceberg in favor of vitamin-packed, antioxidant-rich kale or mustard greens (this kale salad laced with pancetta breadcrumbs, pine nuts, currants and parmesan cheese gets a rave review). Swiss chard and collard greens can also liven up your winter meals, but a word of caution: Wash your leaves well. Winter greens rank high on the list of produce with the most pesticides, but a thorough rinse (or buying organic) can offset that.
Get: past Quitter’s Day. The second Friday in January (that’s Jan. 10) is known as Quitter’s Day, which marks the point when many people give up on their New Year’s resolutions. (The concept is based on trends data experts noticed in tracking a drop-off in fitness app usage.) So what happens if you’re finding it tough to stay motivated but don’t want to abandon your 2025 goals just yet? One tip experts passed on to Fortune is to try breaking up your resolution into smaller, more manageable goals. If your resolution is to “get in better shape,” for example, specify what that means and map out what you can do on a weekly or even daily basis (doing 20 minutes of weight training on your lunch break, planning a Sunday morning bike ride, etc.) to help you achieve that. You can also see what methods work for frequent resolution-setters here.
Take: a news break if you need it. Big political changes are coming this month, which will mark the end of the Biden administration and a second Trump inauguration on Jan. 20. If you’re still burned out from the election cycle discourse, remember that it’s perfectly fine to set boundaries around how much news and social media content you consume. That might involve only allowing yourself a few minutes a day online, muting news alerts or accounts that you find stressful or divisive or focusing more on feel-good content (Adam Sandler movies, cute Moo Deng videos) — or all of the above.
