National Wellness Month
August is National Wellness Month, a great reminder to slow down, check in with ourselves, and
build habits that support our health.
And while August may still feel like summer, the pace of life has a funny way of picking up as
the year goes on. The days get shorter, meals become heartier, workouts slip away, and before
we know it, holiday gatherings, work deadlines, family obligations, and a full calendar have
arrived.
That makes now a great time to invest in yourself.
Rather than waiting for January to make big resolutions, reframe wellness as a collection of
small, realistic choices you can make every day. The goal is not perfection, but rather creating
habits that fit your life and can serve as anchors when things get busy.
Why Self Care Matters
Taking care of yourself isn’t just about bubble baths and spa days, as enjoyable as those are.
Self-care includes daily behaviors that support both physical and mental well-being.
Research supports the value of practices such as exercise, meditation, and heart rate variability
(HRV). A randomized controlled trial published in Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback
in 2015 found these approaches were effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression while
also improving sleep and overall well-being.
In other words, small practices that help regulate stress and support both body and mind can
make a meaningful difference.
Start Small: Wellness Habits You Can Actually Keep
When it comes to implementing and sustaining new habits, target goals that are simple, specific,
and realistic for your routine. Below are some ideas to get you started:
Morning Hydration Practice
Add a glass of water first thing in the morning. To make following through easier, place a glass by your bed or coffee maker. A visual reminder helps trigger your new habit.
Nutrition By Addition Approach
Shift your focus from dietary restriction to dietary abundance by adding nutrient-dense foods to
meals you already love. For example, add a serving of fruit at breakfast or vegetables at lunch.
Small additions can feel more manageable than an all-or-nothing approach.
Set a Sleep Schedule
Aim for a consistent sleep schedule that allows for 7 or more hours each night. Pick a realistic
bedtime and wake time that you would be able to stick with most days, including weekends.
Why It Matters: The National Sleep Foundation’s expert consensus recommends maintaining a
consistent sleep schedule as important for health and performance. It was concluded that
irregularities in sleep times worsened outcomes related to cardiovascular and metabolic health,
as well as inflammation (Sletten et al., 2023). Maintaining a sleep schedule helps align circadian
rhythms, promote deeper sleep, and improve overall health.
Move in a Way You Enjoy
Movement doesn’t have to be a workout you dread. Walking, dancing, cycling, strength training,
or playing a sport outdoors are all great ways to move your body.
Action Step: Choose one form of movement you genuinely enjoy and schedule it into your day.
If you are unsure, try different forms of exercise for a short amount of time (eg. 10 minutes) and
explore what feels best for your body.
The best exercise is often the one you will actually do!
Swap Screen Time for Joyful Activities
Consider reducing time spent scrolling on screens with spending time outdoors or participating in a hobby or activity that brings you joy.
Try This: Take a 10 minute walk outdoors, read a few pages of a book, listen to new music,
spend time with a friend, work on a hands-on project, or spend time relaxing (that bubble bath
may be a good idea here!)
Make Your New Habits Stick
A good intention is a great place to start, but setting a specific plan can help keep you on track to
follow through. Here’s how:
1. Make it specific: Instead of “I want to exercise more,” try “I will take a 10-minute walk
after lunch on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”
2. Make it trackable: Use a calendar, habit tracker, journal or notes app to record your
progress.
3. Celebrate your wins: This may be one of the most important steps. Don’t wait until 6
months to give yourself credit, consistency is showing up day to day, and getting back on
track when things maybe don’t go as planned. Every walk, glass of water, healthy meal,
or moment of mindfulness counts.
4. Find an accountability partner: Share your goal with a friend, family member, co-
worker, or dietitian. Having someone to check in with and provide feedback or
encouragement can make a big difference.
Think Beyond August
Wellness doesn’t have to be another item on an already overwhelming to-do list. Rather, it’s a
way to support your overall well-being so you can feel your best doing the things you love. View
it as a way to build a stronger foundation for the months ahead.
Choose one habit to start this month. Once it feels manageable, build from there. When the
holidays arrive, deadlines pile up, and life gets busy you won’t need to start from scratch. You
will already have built sustainable habits to help keep you anchored during the busy season.
If you're looking for more guidance on building healthy habits that stick, our experienced
dietitians are here to assist. Contact 360 Nutrition (805) 738-5700 to book your initial
consultation.
References:
1. van der Zwan, J. E., de Vente, W., Huizink, A. C., Bögels, S. M., & de Bruin, E. I.
(2015). Physical activity, mindfulness meditation, or heart rate variability biofeedback for
stress reduction: A randomized controlled trial. Applied Psychophysiology and
Biofeedback, 40(4), 257–268. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-015-9293-x [1, 2]
2. Sletten, T. L., Weaver, M. D., Foster, R. G., Rajaratnam, S. M. W., & National Sleep
Foundation Sleep Timing and Variability Panel. (2023). The importance of sleep
regularity: A consensus statement of the National Sleep Foundation sleep timing and
variability panel. Sleep Health, 9(6), 801–820. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2023.07.016
[1, 2, 3, 4]
3. National Sleep Foundation. (2023). Consistent sleep schedules with new consensus
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