Five expert-backed health challenges that aren’t Dry January
Some 30 percent of Americans are taking part in Dry January this year, aiming to improve their mood, sleep and overall health.
But, experts say other month-long health challenges that promote self-care can provide similarly beneficial health effects for people looking for an alternative.
From focusing on fitness to heart, brain or gut health, every little step can make a big difference – at any age.
“Self care can have a big impact on quality of life,” Dr. Sandra Dunbar, a nurse and professor at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, said in a statement.
“Ideally, you want good self-care to start in childhood, but it’s never too late to make changes that will improve your health and well-being,” she said.
A fitness cliche – for good reason
A 30-plus-day fitness challenge has long been a trend with wellness influencers. It still is, because it works.
No matter what you do, it only takes a couple of weeks of consistent exercise to see results. But picking the right exercise can be tough if you’re just starting out.
“I’ve seen ones where you do 10 push-ups a day, all the way to a 30-day challenge to start training for a 5K or a marathon,” Zachary Sprague, a family medicine physician at Scripps Coastal Medical Center Carlsbad, said.
“Anything you do is going to be a good start, but with 10 push-ups, you’re probably not going to see any change in your fitness habits,” he said. “I would definitely recommend starting with a more comprehensive routine.”
A more comprehensive workout could include regularly going to full-body workout classes like Orange Theory or Barry’s Bootcamp, if you have the means.
However, everyone can find meticulously-planned examples with both cardio and weight-lifting online that they can do at home, outside or in a gym. Some challenges also help to isolate specific areas, such as the abs or back, for a more tailored approach.
Or, you can focus on one exercise, such as jump-roping or stationary biking for a month. Nearly any kind of exercise increases blood flow and improves heart health.
“Aerobic exercise and resistance training are the most important for heart health,” says Johns Hopkins exercise physiologist Kerry Stewart. “Although flexibility doesn’t contribute directly to heart health, it’s nevertheless important because it provides a good foundation for performing aerobic and strength exercises more effectively.”
Just be sure you like the activity and don’t push yourself too hard. Working out muscles you don’t normally use over and over again could lead to an injury, if you’re not careful.
Viva la ‘veganuary’
Americans are eating less animal meat, and nearly 70 percent of more than 1,200 respondents in a November 2024 poll said they had reduced their red meat consumption in the past year, according to researchers at Rutgers University.
A vegan and more plant-based diet – which excludes all animal products – has been shown to promote weight loss, reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels and the reduce the risk of colon cancer, according to Rush University.
If you want to try it out but don’t want to commit fully, a month-long vegan excursion might be right for you. Known as “veganuary,” it’s backed by celebrities like musician Billie Eilish and actor Joaquin Phoenix.
But doing it right is important, too.
“You can be overweight and be a vegan; you can be malnourished and be a vegan,” Dr. Jeffrey Soble, a cardiologist at Rush University Medical Center, said. “Whatever your diet choice, you have to know which foods to avoid and which foods to seek out.”
For vegans and meat-eaters alike, that means avoiding the junk. Ultraprocessed foods have been shown to lead to an increased risk for cancer and heart disease.
“Refined grains, sweets and junk food are troublemakers for everyone, not just vegans,” Soble said. “And vegans and nonvegans alike can fall into the habit of making these items the mainstays of their diet.”
Researchers have said there can be deficiencies with plant-based diets if you don’t eat enough of certain foods.
Hitting the hay for your health
It’s recommended that adults get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Yet, less than half of Americans said they get the sleep they need, according to a 2024 Gallup poll.
Not getting enough sleep can be dangerous for your health. A long-term lack of sleep raises your risk for obesity, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“The sweet spot is actually seven to eight hours of sleep,” Dr. Dexter Shurney, president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, explained.
That’s where a 30-day sleep challenge comes in, to clock up the hours you need every night.
That can mean making more of an effort to stay away from screens, consuming less caffeine, shutting off lights earlier, getting into bed earlier or working out earlier in the day so you’re not hyped up before bedtime. Some challenges will ask you to track your health alongside your sleep, to see how it improves.
Melodic medicine
For people living with dementia, singing can improve memory and boost mood. Music and singing are often treatments to help the brain function better.
“When we use musical intervention, we’re looking for areas and networks in the brain that are intact to serve as bridges and help the areas that are not working well,” Northwestern Medicine Neurologist Dr. Borna Bonakdarpour said. “Singing, for example, can be a bridge to communicating better through language. The rhythmic nature of music can help people walk better.”
But the positive effects of singing aren’t just for dementia patients. Singing helps to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and raise the happy hormone oxytocin.
It can also help people to lose weight. Just an hour of singing while standing up burns around 140 calories for a person who weighs 150 pounds, according to the London Singing Institute.
But, you don’t need to learn an opera to reap the rewards over 30 days. As little as 14 minutes of singing a day has been shown to improve heart health, according to Wisconsin researchers.
That was true “regardless of singing expertise (or lack thereof),” the researchers noted.
A mindset reset
More than 21 million American adults live with depression, according to Mental Health America.
Mental health is a major component of physical health. For example, depression is a risk factor for diabetes, stroke and heart disease – America’s top killer.
But many still may underestimate the importance of mental health on their physical health, and spending a month focusing on your mental health can help greatly improve physical health, according to the University of Utah. For people with depression, this can mean implementing meaningful lifestyle changes that have been shown to boost mood, such as exercise and a healthier diet.
For many it could mean being more mindful, stopping negative self-talk, journaling, meditating or walking and practicing yoga every day.
It could even be as simple as making sure you do something you love every day.
“Our attitudes are often a choice, Karizma Maxson, a neonatal ICU nurse manager at the Mayo Clinic, said. We can spend time ruminating on something that is negative and out of our control or decide to see the good in something and choose joy.”
