Health resolutions you WILL stick to in 2018

TIRED of too-strict diet and exercise regimes that fail before February? Our easy but effective lifestyle tweaks will keep you healthy all year…

Dry January is great in theory, but there’s no real health gain if you abstain for a month only to go back to drinking just as heavily for the rest of the year.

Also, January can be a tough, cold month when banning things outright make you feel miserable.

A healthier, longer term goal is to simply drink a bit less, every week. Aim to stick to the official Government guidelines which recommend no more than 14 units each week. will just off and lack of time with family and friends can exacerbate stress,” says Dr Meg Arroll, psychologist for Healthspan. “But all too often relaxation is seen only as an indulgence.”

Make this the year you prioritise down time – be that yoga classes, weekends away or walks in the park. Sunlight is the body’s main source of vitamin D, and deficiency can increase your risk of depression and catching colds and flu. With up to 50% of Britons deficient in this nutrient, the Government now recommends we take a daily vitamin D supplement of 10mcg over the winter. Try Better You DLUX1000 (£6.95, from Betteryou.com) But while this is important, some sleep experts say we’d be better off focusing on a consistent sleep/wake schedule.

Our bodies thrive on routine and going to bed at roughly the same time every night will help you get to sleep faster – and wake refreshed.

There’s no doubt being hydrated is good for our energy levels and can improve concentration and even prevent headaches. And the good news is that many experts no longer think we need to drink eight glasses of water a day, and advise just drinking enough fluid to ensure your pee is light straw-coloured rather than dark and concentrated.

“Drinking one glass of water before each meal is a great start and will also help prevent overeating,”

advises Linda.