5 classic routines that will improve your health

Living a better life means getting rid of quick fixes and fads.

Oh my gosh, it feels like everyone is shouting different advice about wellness these days—from social media to news headlines, it's totally overwhelming! If you're tired of all the fads and just want real, simple ways to feel better, you've got to read this.

Dr. Wynne Armand, a primary care doctor at Harvard-affiliated Mass General Brigham in Boston, is cutting through the noise with five super simple habits we can all weave into our daily lives to seriously boost our health and well-being. Forget the quick fixes; making these small, consistent changes is what really works. Plus, if you're a parent, modeling these habits is the best way to help your kids and teens embrace wellness too.

The Five Essential Habits for a Healthier Life

1. Get Mindful Throughout Your Day

Stress and anxiety are so common, and Dr. Armand sees it all the time. Constantly worrying about what happened or what might happen just isn't helpful, and all those stress hormones really mess with your heart, brain, and sleep.

Mindfulness and meditation are game-changers for easing stress, sleeping better, and improving focus. It’s all about anchoring yourself in the present moment. You can do this by just appreciating the trees and birds on a walk in a green space or using apps like Calm or Headspace. This simple shift can calm your nerves, sharpen your concentration, and boost your mood. When you apply it to eating, it even helps with weight loss because you slow down and savor your meal.

A great way to connect your body and mind is through meditation, like box breathing. This rhythmic pattern helps regulate your nervous system, calming anxiety, lowering your heart rate, and giving your focus a huge lift. It works just as well for adults as it does for younger people.

2. Make Sleep a Priority

We all know that awful feeling after a bad night's sleep—you're foggy, grumpy, and slow. Over time, that takes a toll on your health. On the flip side, getting enough restful sleep is a superpower: it supports your immune system, helps you manage your weight, and boosts your memory, judgment, and overall well-being. It might even help you live longer.

The CDC suggests most adults need at least seven hours a night, but quality is really key—you want refreshing, uninterrupted rest, not just hours of tossing and turning. Interestingly, too much sleep (like nine-plus hours) has also been linked to higher risks for early deaths, so it’s all about finding that sweet spot.

Your sleep needs and natural wake/sleep cycles change over time, but good sleep hygiene helps a lot. Try to get regular exercise, stick to consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, and cut out caffeine in the afternoon/evening, along with large meals and alcohol before bed. And definitely turn off screens at least 30 minutes before you want to fall asleep. If you’re consistently having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor—it could be a treatable condition like sleep apnea.

3. Choose Real, Whole Foods

There’s so much solid proof that eating foods packed with vegetables, fruits, and legumes (like lentils and beans) and keeping processed foods to a minimum supports a long, vibrant life.

Dr. Armand points out that when food is processed, its nutritional value goes down, often because manufacturers add stuff like excess salt, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other chemicals that might make us crave more. Stick to foods that look as close as possible to how they came from the earth.

4. Move More and Sit Less

Life is busy, and we’re often looking for the most "efficient" way to do things, but Dr. Armand suggests swapping that thought for, “What keeps me mobile, flexible, and functioning well?” Getting a 30-minute workout daily is great, but you actually get even more health benefits by finding ways to stay active throughout the day.

Instead of always thinking about efficiency, try to find pleasurable or creative ways to move your body! For example, switch a sit-down Zoom meeting for a walk and talk. If you’re socializing, maybe grab coffee and then go for a stroll instead of sitting for a long meal. And if you face mobility challenges due to age or injury, look into adaptive sports or other opportunities that suit your needs—movement is for everyone.

5. Protect Yourself from Everyday Toxins

It’s tough to avoid things like air pollution, microplastics, and PFAS (those "forever chemicals") in modern life. Breathing in tiny particles from pollution or ingesting microplastics and harmful chemicals affects your health in serious ways.

Dr. Armand explains that tiny pollutant particles, like wildfire smoke, can travel deep into your lungs and even escape into your bloodstream, affecting organs all over your body and increasing the risk for heart attacks, strokes, and lung problems. Even gas stoves create nitrogen dioxide and release fine particles that irritate lungs and have been linked to a higher risk for childhood asthma.

Here are a few simple steps to reduce harmful exposure at home:

• Use a water filter to lower your intake of PFAS, microplastics, and other contaminants.

• Swap out kitchen plastics for glass containers (like Mason jars), stainless steel water bottles, and lead-free dinnerware.

• Run a correctly-sized air purifier with a high-efficiency filter (MERV 13 or higher) when pollution or wildfire smoke affects your local air quality.

• Always vent gas stoves when cooking—opening a window helps, but switching to electric or induction appliances is even better.