Tis’ the season of sweeping resolutions and course-corrections. Keeping up with what’s “in” and “out”—before the year has even really begun—is enough to make your head spin.
For goals that last, anchor them in something that never goes out of style: taking good care of your body. Getting regular exercise, maintaining a good sleep schedule, and cooking nutrient-rich foods benefit both body and mind, pulling you out of your head and back into the present. Prioritizing your health can even become a meditative practice.
Our readers are on board. Nearly 40 percent of women in our audience say the type of care that grounds them most right now is physical. In a culture that often glorifies and rewards overworking, tending to the body can feel like a quiet form of resistance.
Taking better care of your body doesn’t require a complete life overhaul, either. Small, practical steps and mindset shifts can fit realistically into even the busiest schedule. Here are a few ways to start today.
Read more: Reclaim Your Mornings: How to Make Time for Yourself Before the Day Takes Over
12 easy ways to care for your body better
Movement and physical wellbeing
Moving your body is one of the best things you can do for your overall health. Regular physical activity improves your mood, sharpens your cognitive skills, lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, and slows the loss of bone density—an especially important benefit for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.
One survey respondent says, “Going to the gym is my current sanctuary. By following a daily routine, I can remove all my focus off of things work- or personal-related and on my workouts. It's as if something was lifted off of me, and I can continue to push through my day with not as much worrying.”
Whether or not the gym is your forte, these ideas can help you incorporate more movement into your life:
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Save time with micro-workouts: Short bursts of movement (10 minutes or less) still deliver plenty of benefits, including improved circulation and energy. Try a habit-stacked workout at home: Do a 10-minute strength routine immediately after brushing your teeth or before your morning coffee.
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Flow with 5-minute intuitive stretches: Gentle stretching in the morning primes your body for the day, waking up your muscles and increasing blood flow. Instead of static stretching, try a 5-minute “intuitive flow” where you move to one song (pick one from this playlist) and let your body choose what feels good.
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Take a color walk: Walking improves cardiovascular health and releases endorphins, your brain’s feel-good chemical. Adding a visual focus makes walking feel even more intentional and engaging. On a color walk, choose one color and notice everything you see in that shade—a red mailbox, cardinal, strawberry bush, dog leash, scarf, etc.
Read more: 20 Top Menopause & Perimenopause Resources to Bookmark ASAP
Nutrition and daily nourishment
Nourishment and nutrition can feel intimidating because we often equate those ideas with rigid rules, unrealistic expectations, and hours spent in the kitchen. But simple, realistic changes go a long way in stabilizing your energy, supporting hormone balance, and improving digestion without being another source of stress.
One gentle place to start: cooking for or with the people you love. Preparing food as a shared ritual shifts the thought of nourishment away from perfection and labor and toward nurture and community. As one reader shared, “I love cooking for people. It makes me feel connected to my mom (who was an incredible cook) and it speaks to the caregiver in me.”
Here are a few more easy ways to nourish your body week-to-week:
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Establish themed meal nights: Sticking to themes for each night of the week can lessen decision fatigue and make nourishment feel more fun. Try concepts like “one-pan Mondays,” “pantry clean-out Tuesdays,” or “breakfast-for-dinner Wednesdays," so you have a loose idea of what to pick up from the grocery store, but can remain flexible without reinventing the wheel each week.
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Boost nutrition with small additions: Add one essential nutrient (fiber, protein, or healthy fats) to each meal to boost nutritional value. Sprinkle hemp seeds on your morning oatmeal, toss chickpeas into your salad, or add avocado slices to a sandwich. The goal is to add intentionally, not subtract or change the foods you already enjoy.
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Prep ingredients for mix and match meals: Instead of prepping full meals, focus on a few versatile ingredients at the start of the week. For example, roast a sheet pan of vegetables on Sunday night and toss them into salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, or egg scrambles throughout the week, saving time while keeping meals creative.
Read more: 15+ Morning Wake-Up Rituals That Don't Involve a Cup of Coffee
Rest, recovery, and sleep
Getting quality sleep is foundational for good health, yet it’s often the first thing sacrificed in a busy schedule. In fact, 84 percent of women in our audience aren’t hitting the recommended seven hours, and most are running on six hours or less, well below what experts say we need to function at our best.
For better sleep, reframe rest as a necessity, not a reward. You don’t have to “deserve” sleep by being productive. Cut down on caffeine earlier in the day, dim the lights after 8 p.m., jot down a short to-do list for tomorrow, and use these tips:
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Test nervous-system downshifting: Activating the vagus nerve at night stimulates the “rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system, making it easier to fall (and stay) asleep. Try a 10-minute guided body scan or a calming, music-free meditation as you wind down in bed instead of scrolling.
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Try Yoga Nidra during the day: Yoga Nidra, “yogic sleep,” and Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) practices restore your energy and reduce stress during the day—without a nap. Even a quick 10-minute NSDR practice can improve afternoon focus by bringing awareness to areas of tension in your body and using the breath to release it.
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Maintain consistent “soft landing” routines: Creating a predictable wind-down ritual trains your body to expect rest. Choose one gentle activity—reading, taking a warm bath, sipping herbal tea, or as one respondent does, using red light therapy—and repeat it nightly to signal to your brain it’s time to slow down.
Read more: How to Rest More Even While Anxious
Self-soothing rituals
Busy weeks leave your body on high alert. Self-soothing, a form of emotional regulation that helps your body process stress and feel safe, restores equilibrium to your body by engaging at least one of the senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, or sound.
If you feel sadness, anger, anxiety, or panic coming on, these self-soothing techniques can quickly help you reset and find a moment of comfort:
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Use temperature as therapy: Warmth relaxes tight muscles and reduces the body’s production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Take a warm bath with essential oils, hold a cozy drink, wash your hands with warm soapy water, plug in a heating pad, or use a heated eye mask while listening to an audiobook.
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Surround yourself with soothing textures: Keep a soft blanket, a weighted object, or smooth stone nearby. Touching comforting textures (including your pet!) while breathing deeply signals safety to your body and helps you feel grounded.
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Try EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping: Gently tap on the face, collarbone, or hands at meridian points—spots that traditional Chinese medicine identifies as pathways for energy. This physical stimulation shifts your body out of fight-or-flight mode, releasing stored tension and lowering cortisol.
If all of that feels overwhelming, remember this: caring for your body doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. Take two minutes right now to hold an ice pack, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Let your nervous system settle. Notice what you need, honor it in real time, and trust that small moments of care add up.
