Illustration: Clayton Junior
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Yes, this can be the year you finally give up sweets or master the
headstand in yoga or get a new job. But why can't it also be the
year you read more books, laugh daily and daydream freely? These
habits belong on everyone's list.
Daydream More
When your mind wanders, you might want to follow it. Research from
the University of Wisconsin-Madison suggests that daydreamers tend to
have better working memories—and a separate study found that
people whose thoughts drifted when they took a work break were more
inventive when they returned to a creative project (listing possible
uses for objects like a brick) than those who tried to stay focused
during their break time.
Watch Crazy Car (or Cute Baby) Videos
Science continues to show how beneficial laughter can be. You already
know it can defuse anger and anxiety, but a study last spring also
discovered it could reduce short-term memory loss in older adults.
(When we're stressed, we release more cortisol, which, over time,
may impair memory. Laughter, on the other hand, can decrease levels
of the hormone.)
Join a Book Club
In 2013, 23 percent of American adults didn't read a single book.
That's too bad, as science shows that getting lost in a page-
turner can do your body good. Marketing research by
Mindlab
International found that reading could lower stress levels up to
68 percent—and was shown to be a more calming activity than
listening to music.
Just Say Hello
Last February,
O launched our "Just Say Hello"
campaign after learning that an estimated one in five Americans
suffers from loneliness. Research has shown that people with stronger
ties to friends, family, and coworkers have a 50 percent greater
chance of outliving those with fewer relationships. Vow to reach out,
whether it's to an old friend or a stranger you regularly pass on
your way to work. It could be the easiest thing you do for your
health all day.
— Arianna Davis
