Doctor says there are seven health habits that will 'change your life' in 2026

A doctor has laid out the seven things he reckons you could try and turn into health habits if you want to be healthier in 2026.

The year is almost over and some of you will have given some thought to the resolutions you plan on making in the new year, which if we're being honest, will most likely be ditched about three weeks into January.

Changing your lifestyle and breaking yourself out of old routines isn't easy, but cardiovascular surgeon Dr Jeremy London reckons there are seven things you could do to boost your health if you started making them part of your life.

First on his list was 'set an alarm to go to bed', with the doctor explaining that the time you went to sleep was 'just as important as the time you wake up'.

Not getting enough sleep is a huge detriment to health, and while many of us have things to wake up in the morning for, the time we actually get our head down on the pillow does matter a lot.

You can't exactly get a good eight hours if you've set your alarm for seven in the morning but you're just tucking yourself in at 1am.

Second on the doctor's list was to 'get outside and get sunlight into your eyes every day', which might be tricky in the winter when the days are short and your work might consume pretty much all the daylight, but he said getting out and in some sun 'helps reset your circadian rhythm'.

The circadian rhythm is your body's own internal clock, but it can be thrown off by a lack of natural light.

Next up from Dr London was the advice to 'take a 10 to 20 minute walk after meals'.

"You'll be amazed at what this does for your blood glucose levels," he said of this titbit of advice he hoped people would pick up come 2026.

Also on his list of things to try was 'eliminate alcohol', which he said had been 'transformative in his life'.

The start of 2026 sees Dry January kick off so it's as good a time as any to reduce your alcohol intake or even quit it altogether.

Not doing something is easier said than done when that something is an addictive substance, but taking up exercise is one of the resolutions, which most often falls by the wayside as the doctor said you ought to start doing 'high intensity aerobic training at least once a week'.

He said: "If you walk, walk faster. If you run, run faster. Get uncomfortable."

He also said you should always bring a water bottle with you to stay hydrated and to 'lift weights', so now you've got a checklist of things to do come the new year.

Fingers crossed you stick to it.