Small Habits, Big Impact: Creating Wellness and Balance in Our Lives
Learn how small daily habits in sleep, nutrition, and movement can boost your wellness. Expert tips from the AFT Town Hall.
In an era where doomscrolling has become a reflex and public trust in institutions continues to erode, the wellness industry has stepped in to fill the void—sometimes helpfully, other times with overwhelming or misleading promises. At times, it can feel like we’re one supplement away from hacking our health. But that doesn’t mean we should remain skeptical about improving our health. In fact, the most meaningful changes often come from small, incremental shifts in daily behavior. In a recent AFT Vital Lessons town hall, Drs. Mandy Cohen and Vin Gupta emphasize that building a healthy life involves identifying realistic, repeatable habits around diet, exercise, sleep and preventive care.
You can’t talk about wellness without talking about sleep, stress, nutrition, and movement—they’re all connected.
Healthy Eating and Sleep Habits
You don’t need a juice cleanse or keto diet to improve your health. Instead, try packing lunch instead of eating out, or cooking a simple dinner at home. These small acts can reduce your intake of processed food, sodium and added sugar, and help manage weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Drs. Cohen and Gupta recommend prioritizing consistent and high-quality sleep, too. Getting seven to nine hours each night helps regulate hormones, supports immune health, reduces the risk of chronic diseases and improves brain performance.
Public health is about creating the conditions for health—not just treating illness when it happens.
Daily Movement
You don’t need to begin strength training to feel the effects of daily movement. A brisk walk, stretching in the morning or dancing alone in your bedroom—these all count and can set the stage for a lifestyle change. Consider using digital wearables (such as smartwatches and fitness trackers) to stay accountable and celebrate small wins, like hitting a step goal. These habits can help manage or prevent chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and even certain cancers.
Preventive Care
High cholesterol, hypertension and prediabetes often show no symptoms, which is why they’re known as “silent killers.” Routine checkups and screenings can catch these issues early and when they’re most treatable. The same goes for cancer screenings like mammograms, colonoscopies and skin checks.
It’s also important to be aware of your family medical history. Conditions like diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers often have a genetic component. Sharing this information with your healthcare provider can help guide more personalized screening schedules and prevention strategies.
Stay current on vaccinations, too, especially for flu, COVID-19 and other preventable diseases. Keeping yourself and your family protected is a simple, science-backed way to support public health.
All in All: Wellness Shouldn’t Be Complicated
Don’t fall for the myth that you need to spend a fortune or follow rigid trends to be healthy. Your body benefits from the basics—good food, enough sleep, regular movement, stress management and preventive care.
Wellness is not a nice-to-have—it’s a need-to-have. And our systems should reflect that.
In a world of overwhelming advice, small steps are still the most powerful. As Dr. Cohen reminds us, it’s about building habits that stick—not chasing perfection. For more information, please refer to the AFT’s town hall on health and wellness.
Vital Lessons: Health Chats with Dr. Vin Gupta
Join Dr. Vin Gupta—pulmonologist, public health expert, and professor—for a yearlong series offering expert-led webinars, blogs, resources, and Q&A sessions on pressing health issues to help AFT members and communities stay informed and healthy. Access all on-demand town halls and register for the next one.
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Amanda Eisenberg is the editorial lead for The 80 Million, a Medicaid newsletter powered by Manatt Health. She also supports Dr. Vin Gupta in his work with the American Federation of Teachers. In her free time, Amanda enjoys walking around New York City and reading. She's also the author of PEOPLE... See More
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