Doctor shares importance of one key New Year's resolution to increase life expectancy

We're hours away from 2026, and I'm still finding it hard to believe I've blinked and 365 days have passed since my last set of New Year's resolutions.

We all start the year with the best intentions, yet find ourselves crawling through its final months anyway, our half-attempted resolutions long forgotten.

Plenty of social media users have cautioned against 2026 being 'their year', having had an absolute s**tshow of a 2025.

And that's fair; I reckon it's better to be safe than sorry...

All that doesn't stop the majority of us from making New Year's resolutions once more, though.

After all, they can come in all shapes and sizes.

Some people might vow to stop eating junk food or drinking alcohol after the festive period, while others set bigger, long-term goals, like 'see the world' or 'get a new job'.

New Year, new you? (Liliya Krueger/Getty Images)

But if there's one thing you should be making a priority in 2026, it's this overlooked yet vital habit.

Dr Donald Grant, GP and Senior Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, reckons the New Year is 'a great opportunity to establish a healthy lifestyle', which can in turn help us to increase our lifespan and reduce the risk of developing harmful conditions.

And one way of doing that is by paying special attention to a habit we're all guilty of neglecting.

From endless doomscrolling to late-night catch-ups with friends, modern technology has taken a serious toll on our sleep hygiene.

Roughly one-third of US adults regularly get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep, according to CDC data from 2020.

Every year we vow to cut back on certain foods and drinks...(Johnathan Knowles / Getty Images)

Yet NBA legend LeBron James credits adequate sleep and rest for his elite on-court performances - so don't go convincing yourself it's not important!

“Sometimes, the importance of sleep can be easily forgotten, but a lack of rest can increase the risk of some dangerous conditions," Dr Grant warns.

Not getting enough sleep can contribute to high blood pressure and diabetes, while also boosting stress levels and making it more difficult to concentrate.

"Due to the numerous effects sleep can have on both our physical and mental well-being, prioritising at least seven to nine hours each night is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and even increasing life expectancy," Dr Grant explains.

We should all try prioritizing sleep in 2026 (Olga Rolenko/Getty Images)

“To promote better sleep hygiene, I recommend sticking to a regular schedule each night, avoiding any blue light for up to an hour before bed and also reducing the amount of caffeine ingested in the evenings," Dr Grant advises.

"These three tips can make it easier to fall and stay asleep, leaving people well-rested come morning."

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