Do you need a smart detox?

January is often seen as a reboot month, with everyone on a mission to lose weight, get fit and eat more healthily.

However, there is a smart new way to boost energy levels and make sure 2021 is your best year yet. We call this the smart detox – and no, this has nothing to do with crazy fad diets or extreme cleanses. Instead, these simple steps can help clear your head, improve sleep and restore balance from head to toe.

Hair & scalp

Start with your scalp. A build-up of natural oils and styling products can lead to itching and flaking. Just like the rest of your skin, your scalp benefits from regular exfoliation.

Make a weekly scrub by adding a teaspoon of sugar or coarse salt to a clarifying shampoo, then massaging it into the scalp. Rinse thoroughly. Try Noughty Detox Dynamo Clarifying Shampoo, £4.99 (boots.com), which contains peppermint and sorrel leaf extracts to cleanse and refresh.

Our hair isn’t a vital organ, which means our body doesn’t prioritise its needs. To ensure your hair gets the right vitamins and minerals, add proteins and complex carbs to your diet.

If you are vegan or struggle to get enough protein, consider a hair supplement. Philip Kingsley PK4 Soya Protein Boost for Brittle Hair and Hair Structure, £30 (marksandspencer. com), is ideal for people with brittle, split and fragile hair. Made from soya protein, it provides your body with essential amino acids that form the structure of the hair.

Skin & body

Double cleansing – the first time to get rid of make-up, the second to deep cleanse and nourish skin – may sound a little overboard, but adding an extra cleanser to your routine every night for the next couple of weeks could be your fast track to radiant skin.

Double cleansing gently exfoliates, increasing cellular turnover for natural rejuvenation.

A mud or clay mask is excellent for detoxing skin. These mineral-rich products help balance the skin’s pH and encourage the elimination of impurities from the pores, while absorbing excess sebum. Simple Protect ’n’ Glow Detox & Brighten Clay Mask, £2.49 (boots.com), is suitable for sensitive skin and contains antioxidant vitamins C and E. Before bed, apply a facial oil such as Caudalie Overnight Detox Oil, £30 (escentual.com), which works while you’re sleeping to renew tired skin and tackle the effects of stress, pollution and junk food.

Dry body skin brushing before showering will help boost circulation and exfoliate skin, meaning any products applied afterwards will absorb more deeply.

Use the Elemis Body Detox Skin

Brush, £21 ( feelunique.com), before showering. Afterwards, apply a rich body lotion such as Maui Moisture Detoxifying Volcanic Ash Body Lotion, £8.99 (boots.com), to restore a glow.

Digital

These days it can feel like we’re on call every minute of the day or night. It’s hard to disconnect from smartphones, tablets and social media. In fact, one recent survey revealed nearly three-quarters of us keep our mobiles either in or directly next to the bed each night.

Give yourself a digital detox by setting some new rules. Start by implementing them for the week ahead, then try to keep it up.

The whole idea is to develop a

healthier relationship with technology in the best way you can.

1 Turn your phone off during the evening and set it to “do not disturb” throughout the night so you have better quality sleep.

2 During the day take a walk outside but leave your phone at home.

3 Commit to checking your phone only once an hour, rather than responding to each email or text as it comes in. Constantly looking for emails destroys productivity.

Set a time once a day when you respond to non-urgent emails.

Lifestyle

If you feel bloated, try drinking a cup of ginger or peppermint tea. Both have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to help relieve indigestion, bloating, and nausea, usually in less than an hour.

Don’t be afraid to snack. If you snack well, it can prevent energy dips.

Choose a snack that contains protein and fat along with some natural sugars. This will slow down the release of the sugars and therefore give you a consistent stream of energy. Try a handful of mixed nuts and dried fruit, celery sticks or an apple with peanut butter.

 An afternoon snooze is a good way to keep stress levels down. And try going to bed at least

30 minutes to one hour earlier than your usual time.

The darkness and cold weather have a major impact on our mood, metabolism and energy levels, so we need extra sleep to stay healthy and happy too.

Try a couple of caffeine-free days for the next few weeks to give your body a chance to recharge itself.

Try drinking more water and herbal teas instead.

Exercise can improve energy levels by sending oxygen-rich blood to the muscles, brain and heart.

Get at least 30 minutes a day outside, which will also up your vitamin D levels naturally.