Every year, I find myself trying another wellness thing. I love habit stacking (pairing a new habit I want to create with a good one I have already established) but I like to take it easy and only add one or two new things a year and really focus on them so they can stick if I love them. And if I do end up seeing an improvement in my well-being, I’m so loyal to it! What works for me might not work for another person, but I have found a lot of my favorite tricks and tools through word of mouth. (I'm including Insta and TikTok in that.) ;) So in the interest of a new year and new habits—from sleeping better to hydration to exercise—I'm sharing my list of wellness routines that I've added over the years and simply won't quit because they made that big of a difference.
Last year I started mouth taping in January, and I still do it every night! It took about four nights to get used to it, and about two weeks until I was completely hooked. But now I can’t sleep without it. I was a mouth breather at night, and it was causing jaw pain and loose skin under my chin. It worsened my under-eye bags (my dermatologist told me it was because a lack of oxygenation due to mouth breathing). Not only does it make my jaw feel like it’s in a hammock all night (no pain!) and I've been able to completely stop getting botox in my masseter muscles due to grinding, I’ve also noticed I’m sleeping deeper (my Oura ring keeps track) and I’ve even seen changes in my facial structure.
I’ve tried several brands over the last year and settled on this one. It allows me to use all of my facial creams, serums, and lip masks, and it still holds fast. But not SO strong that it’s hard to get it off in the morning. I’ve tried other brands that left a sticky residue (ew). Also, if you’re a little iffy about feeling unable to breathe, the little slit in this one makes it so I can talk a little bit and mostly not have dreams I’m suffocating. It comes in a cute tin that I keep on my nightstand. Totally get that it’s not for everyone, but I’ve seen some health benefits! It's worth a try if you’re a mouth breather like I was.
I started gua sha two years ago, and I noticed an immediate reduction in the inflammation in my face. (I picked up this one on Amazon and I love it. It comes with the full instructions, or there's a million videos online). I glide it over my skin and down my neck twice a day, every morning and night. In the morning I do it after I splash cold water on my face. At night, I use this cleanser and Kiehl's midnight recovery concentrate, which is what I use as my base for gua she, and then I put on my Altreeno (a tretinoin prescription) and moisturizer.
Lifting weights is one of the best things I have done for my body is recent years. In the Playbook app, I do Hannah Pointer’s workouts: I'm currently doing 4 Week Lean and Tone 2.0. I’ve done every one of her workouts—and they’re usually a 4-6 week program. It visually walks you through the whole workout, so it’s really easy to follow. I like someone to tell me exactly what to do step by step and these do exactly that. I had to get away from HIIT workouts because they were causing inflammation for me. Hannah was experiencing the same things, so that's how I found her. You just need dumbbells and a bench!
Connection is really important to me! I check in with my girlfriends every day. We use the Marco Polo app: it’s a video and voice chat app similar to SnapChat, but the messages don't disappear. We talk to each other every single day. It feels like therapy. Sometimes, it feels like a comedy club! It’s so nice that I can chat with them even though we don’t live near each other. Time zones make it tricky so I love to listen to their messages while I'm getting ready, and I usually respond on the way to the gym while they are all still snoozing on the West Coast.
Sleep is so incredibly important. I am happier, more creative, a better wife and mother, less emotional and more productive when I get 7.5+ hours of sleep, so I schedule it. I really like the Sleep Focus schedule in the Health app on my iPhone. You can set what time you want to wake up, and it will calculate what time you need to go to bed. You'll get a notification when it’s time to get ready to go to bed, and then it basically closes up shop for you! I’m not getting DMs or texts after that—everything's in sleep mode. The alarm in the morning is not annoying—I have mine on the "droplets" tone. When you edit the sleep schedule, your phone will tell you to wind down. I have it set to weekdays only, and then it shows me my sleep results.
Early on, when I was a young mother, I found myself wearing loungewear and sweats every day. I was in the trenches! I didn’t feel like I had time to do much except shower and I wasn't going anywhere, so I kept it very casual. I wasn’t doing my hair; every day, I rocked a messy bun! The first thing I remember intentionally doing for myself when I had babies was getting dressed for the day. And that’s when I realized that I’m a better person when I’m dressed for the day. That’s why I always wear shoes, even in the house. I also do a 5-minute makeup routine—even before I go to the gym (I mean, half the time you're facing the mirror, and I need that image boost!!) I'm more productive and happier when I feel more put together. It’s a gift for your future self!!
One of the most incredible things I got last year was the Oura ring. It takes about 3 months to truly "get to know you," but you can start gaining insights on day 1. The data that I've gotten from this ring—I kid you not—has been life-changing. It tells me if I’ve gone to bed too early or too late for my sleep type based on my optimal sleep cycles (REM, sleep latency aka how long it takes you to fall asleep, etc). My chronotype is early morning. I've always loved getting up with the sun, and this confirmed why it works for me based on my biometrics. (Chris has a different chronotype: his is late morning!) The app tracks my heart rate and can tell when I'm stressed versus working out and how my resilience to stress is. It tells me what day of my cycle I'm on, and when my period is going to start. I love learning about myself!
One thing I learned from my Oura ring is that my resilience has gotten higher based on these life tweaks. Being in tune with stress is so important! A lot of these changes have helped, like taking recovery supplements after a workout and doing less HIIT and solving issues right away instead of letting them fester.
I drink a gallon of water daily—you'll always find me with my Stanley or Hydrojug (love this color)! Here's my secret: I put drink mixes in it every time. And that still counts! I put the BetterHydration pack in my first 40 ounces of water for the day. I drink that by the time I’m home from the gym. Then I fill it up again and usually dump in Nello SuperCalm mix, which is great for cortisol levels post-workout recovery. If I need a pick-me-up, I'll add the BetterGreens with Caffeine pack to my water refill in the afternoon otherwise I'll do the non-caffeinated version. This one helps with digestion and bloating.
After all that water, I don’t feel bad if I need a fun drink—I love my Dr. Pepper Zero occasionally!
This is a new one for me. I’ve been taking Nutrafol and doing the satin pillowcase at night, but otherwise my hair care routine has been pretty minimal. I wash it once a week! But I’ve been getting a lot of hair inspiration on my "for you" page, and I’ve just been enthralled. I'm going to start small! I got a rosemary oil that you massage into your scalp. My hairdresser recommended this hair mask for dry, brittle, dehydrated strands, so I add that to the mid-to-ends of my hair. You let it sit as long as possible (I do about an hour, but I've seen some girlies put their hair into a wet-looking bun all day), and then you wash your hair normally. My current go-to shampoo and conditioner is this one. You'll only want to do the oil and mask once a week. I add my favorite heat protectant and then just style as usual.
I feel like no one loves their hair, right? The grass is always greener. On the plus side, my hair holds a curl like no other, so I only have to style my hair once a week—just wavy curls that I brush out (I'm loyal to this curling iron). Sometimes, I wish my hair was a little more straight and smooth, so maybe this change will help!
I used to run and it was causing lots of inflammation and joint pain for me—so I've switched to walking over the past couple years. Last year on the weekends, I'd go for long 5-6 mile walks and love them so much. And this year, I realize I need more of that, so I'm shooting for 10,000 steps a day. Ideally, it's all at one time and outside.
There are significant benefits to walking. When you hit 45 minutes to an hour, your mind opens up, your cortisol reduces, and the endorphins spike. My best ideas come to me when I walk, and it greatly improves digestion, so I am prioritizing this commitment! Chris got me a weighted vest for Christmas this year, and I've loved using that on my walks as well for additional muscle development. (I picked up this bra and leggings in the most swoon-worthy redwood color for extra "look good-feel good" motivation.) On weekdays, when I may have meetings or if it's too cold outside, walking 10,000 steps at a time can be difficult, so if I need to break it up throughout the day, that works too!! But it has to be a dedicated walk, not a happenstance hit-10k-steps. I need that time to unwind my mind just as much.
I'm adding this as a personal goal. Previously, I thought efficiency was more important. As an enneagram 3, I love to multi-task. If I'm on the treadmill, why wouldn't I answer emails? But if I'm trying to focus on walking for wellness—including mental clarity—it defeats the purpose when checking in on work. Now, if you're at work on a walking pad, that's a different story. But if you're doing something for your mental health or well-being, it's better to skip multi-tasking.
One of my goals this year is to learn to enjoy food again. I think with all of my restrictions, I’ve kind of numbed myself into eating just for optimal health and the least discomfort. But in reality, there are a lot of foods I can enjoy—even if it means having to take medications! (I did find this digestive enzyme that has helped a lot.) I’m still grain-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, pork-free, and I eat things with no added sugars. Last year, I even took away starches when I was diagnosed with CSID. But this year, if I want to have some Siete chips, I'm going for the enzymes and I'm going to try to enjoy it! I only have one life to live! It's worth it to me to try to enjoy food again.
What are you adding or taking away this year?? I always love getting tips from you!
I've been doing Evlo strength workouts for 6 months now. I highly recommend it as its very gentle but I still see results.
Hi Julia, how does the mouth tape do with face tanner? Does it leave lip-shaped lines in your tan?
I don’t use face tanner very often, but if I do, I’m only spraying this one around the sides of my face. I don’t rub anything on my face, because I don’t want the middle part of my face tan. So I haven't had a problem with that!
Track your blood glucose. 80-90% of Americans have insulin resistance due to consuming the Standard American diet (aka SAD!!). This over consumption of industrialized fats and carbohydrates has led to this Harmful condition. Well, we can’t track our insulin as yet we can’t track our glucose levels which we never want to exceed 100. Best range 70 to 90. This is perhaps the best health hack you can do.
Do you have a recommendation for a men’s mouth tape? Know my husband should use it, but this one is too feminine. Thanks!
Try Dream Recovery tape-—they have a couple more color options!
Fabulous to hear about the Oura ring guiding your health decisions! I've had mine 1 week and looking forward to my data! Check out @courtneyhuntmd she has healed her thyroid hashimotos and got herself off hormones. Board certified Obgyn. She’s touched base on food sensitivity and how to reverse. Happy Health and Healing to you
I started mouth taping in December 2023 and haven’t gone a night without it since. I love it! I just use Nexcare strong hold, pain-free removable silicone tape. It has improved all of the things you mentioned. My oura ring arrives next week and I’m super excited to get all of the data that it captures. I appreciate you sharing all of this information.
Thanks for sharing! My husband owns a running shoe store but he is always telling me that lifting weights and walking is much healthier and better on your joints than running unless you are really young or have a very specific body type.
Julia, I want to try mouth taping & I want to have my male partner try it too but I don’t think he’s going to want pink!!! Any ideas for the guys in our lives????
I've used Dream Recovery tape before and liked it—-they have white and blue options.
I have been a mouth breather my whole life. I too am looking to add things each year to better my health. I immediately went to your recommendation for the mouth tape, I’ve been indecisive on which brand to go with. After reviewing their website, I chose another brand. Simply because of their choice of words. Using profanity when asking for someone’s email is so unprofessional. And this is their website. Yikes!
I plan to incorporate mouth taping this year in my routine but it will not be with this company.
Thank you so much for sharing your insight.
Happy wellness! Without the profanity, of course! Another day wellness hack I’ve incorporated with my mouth.
Maybe their marketing team will see this and take note!
Mary Ruddick might be able to help you. Worth a look at least because restrictive eating and still dealing with Hashimotos seems worth trying something different at least.
I did the gaps which she has built upon and I became so incredibly healthy.
This year (and every year going forward) I am focusing on now/no spending. The amount of consumerism I have participated in is appalling. I am decluttering my home, simplifying everything to make room for cozy spaces so that my home is truly a refuge andwe are able to manage our house vs being managed by all the stuff. I’m going to hygge the heck out of my home and life. Let’s GO!!!
Love a good decluttering session to enjoy what you do keep even more.
Thank you Julia!
The part about the shoes, even in the house! Once put my shoes on, I'm ready for the day. Make up too.
I’ve mentioned it before and was ignored but the satin pillowcase breeds bacteria. It’s a man made fabric. You should be telling your followers to purchase a momme pure silk pillowcase.
Thanks for sharing, Julia! I love your perspective & insight & tips!! xo
I have hashimoto’s and was recently diagnosed with CSID. I’m late 50’s and have never practiced any dietary restrictions. Since finding out about CSID, I’ve found that going gluten free has helped my symptoms. I’ve also started trying to limit my sugar and starch intake. I’m curious if you are taking Sucraid, or is the Arrae the only enzyme supplement you are taking? It’s been difficult trying to overhaul my eating habits at this age, so any information you’re willing to share would be greatly appreciated.
I was prescribed sucraid, but my insurance won’t cover it and we can’t justify or afford the $10k price tag. I just don’t eat or drink anything with added sugar. I’ve even cut out all fruit except berries and lean on the digestive enzymes for the occasional starch
I too had to forgo Sucraid because of the exorbitant cost. I almost fell out when they told me how much it would be. My gastroenterologist wants me to find a dietitian/nutritionist to work with, so that’s my next step. Thank you so much for sharing your health journey with us.
Funny, just a few weeks ago I was thinking of the fact that you said you were going to try mouth taping in 2024, but hadn’t really said anything about it. I have become a back sleeper with age, and the open mouth at night is impacting my oral gum health. I am so pleased that you gave an update on your journey. I am going to give it a try in the next few weeks. Thanks for the update!!