Medical Matters: Prioritise your well-being in 2025

New Year, new you? We all start the year with the best of intentions. Many of us decide to create a list of resolutions that we are absolutely going to stick with, and in no way do we set ourselves up to fail.

Far too many of us make the common mistake of setting resolutions that are pretty high-reaching, and by the time you are reading this article, it is likely that many of these have slipped or, in some cases, completely fallen by the wayside.

The second Friday of January is now referred to as Quitters’ Friday and is the day when most people are likely to give up on their new year’s resolutions, but that doesn’t mean that your efforts in trying to create a healthier version of you in 2025 should be consigned to the scrapheap.

Even though some of you will achieve your goal of running a marathon or climbing Snowdonia, we can all set ourselves smaller, more realistic goals that, during the following weeks and months, add up to a meaningful change that will improve our physical and mental health.

Any positive habit you adopt will result in a happier and healthier you, be that cutting out a sweet snack a day and replacing it with some fruit, going meat-free a day or two a week, or adding in some extra walks on the seafront to your weekly exercise routine. The NHS’ Couch to 5K app is a great way to help get some gentle exercise and build up your resilience, or the Torbay Parkrun meets at the velopark in Paignton at 9am every Saturday for anyone who’s looking for a fun way to exercise in an open space and meet new people.

It's not just exercise and diet; we can all find a little bit of improvement within; our mental health is vitally important and too often neglected. For 2025, how about we all try to do a little more to prioritise our mental health?

There are many ways to do this, such as practicing yoga and meditation, but also finding joy in the small things you do, such as being aware of your surroundings, enjoying nature, or arranging to call or meet a friend. Search for the five ways to well-being at www.NHS.uk for podcasts, tips, and advice to help boost your mood.

It is hard to give up certain vices or break habits by yourself, but fortunately, there is a range of help out there for you if you want to give up drinking or smoking.

Stop For Life Devon has an excellent range of advice and support available for anyone looking to give up smoking, and the Dry January app is also an excellent way to track progress for those looking to cut down or stop drinking, for this month and beyond.

Your Health Torbay is commissioned by Torbay Council and works very closely with us to support you and help you to make informed improvements about your health and well-being. Please visit yourhealthtorbay.co.uk or call 01803 422422 for details and advice about weight management, stop smoking, and health coaching.

One of my personal New Year's resolutions is to read more and spend less time looking at my phone and laptop. I have challenged myself to read 30 books this year (I have such a long list of books on my read list!). which means that I will have to switch off my devices and make time to tackle the pile. You may love to read but struggle to find the time to settle down with a good book. Torquay Library runs a monthly informal book club based around a different theme. The group is meeting on 14 February—call the library at 01803714452 for more details. The local history group also meets once a month at the library, and there’s also a monthly family history event for anyone who wants to make 2025 the year they discover more about where they live.

For those of you who have set yourselves goals and resolutions and haven’t faltered, well done, but if you have had a glass of wine, that extra sweet treat, or skipped an exercise session because of the freezing conditions, please be kind to yourself and try again tomorrow.

I wish you all a happy and healthy 2025.