At a Glance

Q: How can I start preventive health habits now?
A: Begin with small changes in sleep, diet, exercise, and mindfulness. These habits boost energy today and protect long-term health.

• Prevention focuses on reducing risks before illness starts.
• Discover practical strategies for sleep hygiene and stress relief.
• Learn easy ways to fit exercise and mindfulness into your day.

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Prevention is the best medicine. Dr. Rhea Rowser, a primary care provider, promotes this to her patients, especially the younger ones.

“Young adults feel like they live in the here and now,” she says. “So they don’t think about preventative health as much. And that’s unfortunate because so many things are preventable.”

It can be more encouraging to make lifestyle changes when we see immediate improvements in our health. But it’s also important to build a healthy foundation now to reap the benefits later. 

For your best health, Dr. Rowser says you should set smart goals—attainable habits you can add to your routines—for four areas to improve your short-term and long-term health: sleep, nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness. 

Sleep 

We all know that sleeping seven to eight hours a night is ideal for feeling rested the next day. But Dr. Rowser shares that sleep plays a much larger part in our health than many of us realize. 

It’s important to practice good sleep hygiene, which signals to your brain and body that it’s time for bed. Smart goals that promote sleep include meditating before bed and going to sleep at the same time every night. 

Getting a good night’s rest will help you in the short term by 

• Reducing your sensitivity to everyday stressors.
• Helping you maintain a healthy weight.
• Improving your overall brain function.

Sleep also improves your long-term health by

• Reducing your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
• Regulating your hormone levels, leading to more balanced hormones over time.

Nutrition 

Food is fuel, and what we put into our bodies matters. Dr. Rowser suggests mainly eating whole, unprocessed foods like lean meat, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. A smart goal she encourages is to shop the outside perimeters at the grocery store, only going into the middle aisles for a few things.

Eating a balanced diet will help you maintain a healthy weight, but also 

• Boost your immune system with the nutrients in fruits and vegetables.
• Give you stable energy throughout the day.
• Promote healthy skin, hair, and nails.

The long-term benefits of eating healthy include a lower risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, and improved digestive health. 

Exercise

Dr. Rowser tells her patients to aim for 150 minutes a week of activity that increases their heart rate. Because most people can’t spend an hour or more in the gym, she encourages smart goals like walking during your lunch break, splitting your exercise into smaller portions throughout the day, and finding something fun. 

Short-term benefits of regular exercise include 

• Higher mood and energy levels.
• Better sleep.
• Weight management.

Long-term benefits of exercise include

• Improved cardiovascular health and a reduced risk for heart disease.
• Stronger bones and muscles, important for preventing osteoporosis.
• Improved brain health and longevity, reducing your risk for dementia.

Mindfulness

Sleep, nutrition, and exercise are often regarded as the health trifecta. But Dr. Rowser understands the importance of caring for the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. She encourages her patients to build smart goals that promote self-care and mindfulness, such as taking a warm bath a few times a week, reading before bed, or journaling.

“I like doing a sleep meditation that’s helping with my sleep hygiene, but it’s also helping my mindfulness,” says Dr. Rowser. “I do that every night because it helps me get into the right mindset for sleep, and it counts for my mindfulness time.” 

Practicing mindfulness, even just a few times a week, can help your short-term health by 

• Relaxing your muscles and preventing soreness throughout the day. 
• Improving your overall mood.
• Reducing stress sensitivity and making it easier to regulate your emotions.

Mindfulness benefits your long-term health by reducing your baseline stress levels and risk for heart disease. 

With a few daily goals, you can feel your best day-to-day and set yourself up for a healthy future.