As we move ever closer to the start of the new year, it's easy to find your reflecting on what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what you’re looking to change. With everything that has happened over the last couple of years, it may be an idea to make your health your focus for 2022 and create some healthier habits.
If you’re looking to set resolutions this year to be your healthiest self, we’ve got some ideas to help.
Watch your blood pressure
High blood pressure is often symptomless, so it’s good to try and keep an eye on your blood pressure when you can, to head off any trouble before it starts. You can get your blood pressure checked at your local pharmacy or at your GP surgery or, if you want to keep a closer eye on things at home, you can get blood pressure monitors for home use.
Home blood pressure monitors can be very useful to have on hand if you know you’ve had blood pressure issues in the past or if you find it difficult to get out and about. You can get monitors to go on your wrist, such as the Beurer BC21 Speaking Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor which tells you your results out loud – useful if you find reading numbers off small screens difficult, or you can get ones that go around your upper arm, like the Omron M3 Blood Pressure Monitor.
You can find out more about what a normal blood pressure reading should be here. Don’t forget, a home health monitor isn’t a replacement for medical care, so if you do have any concerns about your blood pressure, please speak with your doctor.
How’s your oxygen saturation level?
If you’re prone to respiratory infections, have a respiratory condition or are worried about covid symptoms affecting your oxygen levels, you may find it useful to get a fingertip pulse oximeter. These are useful little devices that fit on the end of your finger and measure your oxygen levels. Most will also tell you your heart rate, too.
You can find our full range of fingertip pulse oximeters here, including the Beurer PO 60 Bluetooth Pulse Oximeter, which can hold up to 100 results and has an easy to read display.
Check your temperature
Winter weather can leave you with a chill almost before you realise it. Room thermometers are a useful monitor to help check that the temperature of the room hasn’t dipped too much, giving you a useful indicator if it’s time to crack the heating on or find your favourite blanket.
If you haven’t already, you may find it useful to get a thermometer to help keep an eye on your own temperature and check to see if you or someone you love has a fever. Handy in the current climate, as it’s not always immediately obvious if someone has a high temperature.
We have a range of thermometers available from infared forehead thermometers and non-contact thermometers through to digital ear thermometers and more.
We all know we need to move more. Around 47% of us have at one time or another made it our resolution to exercise more or improve our fitness.* But if you’re not sure where to start, resolving to move more may not get you very far.
The first stop with a fitness resolution is usually the gym. If you’ve never used any exercise equipment before, you may find it useful to check out your local gym, where a trainer may be able to explain what each piece of equipment does and how it should be used. However, this isn’t always the right choice for everyone.
Moving more could be as simple as promising yourself a daily walk, perhaps starting small if it’s been a while and working you way up to a longer walk as your fitness improves. If you need support when getting around we have a variety of mobility aids available including walking sticks and rollators.
You could also try something like the Pedal Exerciser with Digital Display, which is a useful way to engage in low-impact exercise from the comfort of your favourite chair.
If you’re already a home workout aficionado, why not see if using small weights such as ankle weights or wrist weights could help boost your workouts? We have a range of exercise equipment on offer to help you move more, including a weighted skipping rope to help improve your fitness.
If we’re not resolving to move more, many of use are resolving to lose weight or improve our diets. Before starting any diet it’s good to discuss it with your doctor just to be sure it’s right for you and your unique needs, as some popular fad diets just aren’t sustainable in the long term nor are right for everyone to try.
If you’re looking to keep an eye on your weight in 2022, why not try the Beurer BF 600 Diagnostic Bathroom Scale? It can track a variety of information for you – not just your weight. It can also measure your body fat, body water, muscle percentage, bone mass, your BMI and more, making it an exceptionally useful tool in your weight-loss journey.
You can find our full range of scales here.
Don’t forget when taking care of your body you also need to take care of your mind as well. Make sure to give yourself time to relax and de-stress in whatever way works for you, whether that's writing in a journal, crafting, gardening, meditating, going for walk etc.
If you’re feeling more than a little overwhelmed by all the resolutions you want to make, scale things back a little. You don’t need to do and achieve everything at once. Take things one step at a time and use our tips below to help set realistic goals for yourself this year.
It’s easy to make lofty goals for yourself but the real trick is keeping them. Data from YouGov showed that only 26% of people in the UK kept their resolutions in 2020, so if you struggled with yours last year you weren’t alone.**
One of the keys to success with resolutions is to make them SMART goals:
With this in mind, what will your resolutions for 2022 be?
This article is not intended as medical advice nor does it replace advice from a medical professional. It’s always best to check in with your doctor before embarking on any weight loss or new exercise routine, just to make sure that you are doing the best thing for your health.
By signing up you consent to us using your email address in accordance with our privacy policy.