3. make sleep a priority

Seven to eight hours is enough for most adults. Too little and you hazard more than just crankiness. Insufficient sleep is also associated with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, depression, and cognitive decline. Here are the ABCs of getting enough ZZZs.

• Exercising early in the day is believed to have the greatest benefit on sleep—but any physical exertion is better than nothing.
• Watch what you eat and drink. Cut off caffeine at noon (it stays in the body for 12 hours) and alcohol three hours before bed—that also goes for eating heavy, spicy foods. Load up on food rich in magnesium, a natural muscle relaxant—chickpeas, lentils, sunflower seeds, and spinach.
• Experts recommend going to bed and waking up at around the same time each day (including on weekends). When that’s not possible, such as when traveling or if your work hours fluctuate, at least try to get the same number of sleep hours in. Just count backward from your ideal wake-up time to find the proper bedtime. If you hit the snooze button on the alarm clock, you’re not getting enough sleep.
• Establish a nightly ritual. About an hour before your target bedtime, swap out any stimulating or stress-inducing activities (checking your work email) for something more relaxing—knitting, stargazing, reading a book. Taking a warm bath or shower before bedtime can also promote better sleep.
• Keep a notepad next to your bed to jot down anything that is occupying your mind (and keeping you awake). If you wake up and simply cannot fall back to sleep, get out of bed and read (no screens!) or meditate; deep breathing alone has been shown to be effective. Tossing and turning will only ramp up your stress level.
• A dark, quiet room is the most conducive to sound sleep. Use blackout shades in bedrooms; a sleep mask is another (easier) option. Put light dimmers on bedside lamps. Dim the light setting on your phone (and flip it over, face down); put it on do-not-disturb mode. Use sleep earplugs or create ambient noise with a phone app or a fan.
• Program the nightly thermostat to 65°F, considered the ideal temperature for sound sleep. Keep a lightweight blanket at the foot of the bed.
• Make your bedroom a sanctuary of sleep. If possible, avoid having exercise equipment or the home office here. Opt for lavender, jasmine, and other houseplants that are believed to be sleep aids. Use aromatherapy diffusers or essential oils (sprinkle some on your sleep mask or pillowcases).

4. Eat for your health (and satisfaction)

Focus on real food—and build healthy habits around it. Doing so, and implementing the following principles, will have you eating well in the moment and also for life.

• Eat a wide variety of foods to get the full range of essential nutrients, prioritizing seasonal produce and plant-based proteins.
• Picture this on your plate: Fill half with vegetables, one-quarter with whole grains, and the rest with lean protein; healthy oils and fats go in the middle (avocado, olives, or nuts and seeds).
• Cook meals for yourself, including daily breakfast and lunch and at least three or four dinners a week. Figure out simple weekday meals that you enjoy enough to eat on a regular basis. See pages 218 to 225 for ideas and inspiration. Always keep the ingredients for those meals on hand (see page 215 for shopping tips).
• Aim for 25 to 38 grams of fiber daily—easy enough to do if you make a few tweaks to what you already eat. Add lentils (which have 8 grams of fiber per ½ cup) to your regular salad, for example, and you’ve already met a quarter of your quota. Sub white flour with whole wheat flour for four times the fiber.
• Embrace, rather than eliminate, carbohydrates—the good kind are full of fiber and satisfying. Stock up on brown rice, barley, and other whole grains; sweet potatoes and regular potatoes (fries don’t count); parsnips, beets, and other root vegetables; and black beans, lentils, and other legumes.
• Make sure to get enough protein—it’s essential to healthy muscles (including your heart) and provides the fuel to keep you going all day. If you are forgoing meat and chicken, opt for fish (preferably wild-caught salmon, sardines, and mackerel), eggs, and plant-based proteins such as beans and legumes.
• Skip dairy if you must (and consider taking a calcium supplement). Otherwise, enjoy it at its richest and creamiest—the fat can be a source of valuable nutrients. Whole-milk products, whether cheese or yogurt, will also be the least processed.
• Banning all sweets can backfire; instead, enjoy them only occasionally (and watch out for sugary energy bars and fruit-flavored yogurt). By savoring sugary treats less often, you’ll lose your craving for them—and find satisfaction from fresh fruit or a square of dark chocolate.
• Slow down, turn off all screens, and pay attention to the food before you. You’ll feel sated before overdoing it (what the Japanese call hara hachi bu) and derive more emotional fulfillment (and greater mindfulness).

Martha Must

I drink my first glass of water at 5 a.m., and during the day I keep a carafe of lemon water within reach so I can satisfy my thirst, letting my body dictate the quantity it needs.