We Asked a Doctor the #1 Habit to Improve Your Health in 2026

A new year is an opportunity for a fresh start. Nearly 80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions focus on their health, specifically regarding diet or exercise.

If you are looking for a new challenge, try prioritizing your sleep. Our Chief Medical Officer, Sohaib Imtiaz, MD, explains why quality sleep is essential for improving your health, as it sets the foundation for other healthy habits.

Q: If you could choose any health behavior for people to focus on in 2026, what would it be?

Imtiaz: If I had to choose one, I’d go with sleep. I think it’s the most powerful and low-effort way to improve your physical health.

I understand that there are challenges to getting adequate sleep, like job demands or caring for children, but in terms of physical resources (e.g., gym equipment, meal planning, etc.), sleep doesn’t require as many resources as other health goals.

When you start to focus on getting 7–8 hours of high-quality sleep every night, nearly all the other behaviors become easier.

How Does Sleep Affect Your Health?

Understanding the impact of sleep on your overall health may motivate you to prioritize it in the new year. Sleep affects nearly every aspect of your health, including:

• Exercise: Your muscles and tissues repair at night, but when you’re not sleeping well, exercise isn’t as effective because your muscles are being broken down and not repaired effectively.
• Diet: Sleep impacts hormones responsible for hunger. When you don’t get enough sleep, you feel hungrier than you would if you got a good night’s rest.
• Immune health: You are more susceptible to illness when you’re jet-lagged or sleep-deprived.
• Blood sugar: Sleep regulates various hormones, including insulin, which is responsible for maintaining your blood sugar levels. A lack of sleep can lead to blood glucose spikes, regardless of the foods that you eat.
• Mental health: Sleep deficiency can make it harder to make decisions, solve problems, control your emotions and behavior, and cope with change, contributing to increased stress levels.
• Skin health: Insufficient sleep can disrupt collagen production and decrease your skin’s elasticity, contributing to the physical signs of aging.

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

If you want to reap the benefits of a good night’s sleep, you should aim for 7 to 8 hours each night. A small proportion of people genetically need more or less sleep, but they are the exception, not the rule.

Equally crucial to the duration of your sleep is consistency. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. For example, go to bed at 10:00 pm and wake up at 6:00 am. You want to maintain a variance of less than 30 minutes in your bedtime and wake-up time every day. Excessive variance can disrupt your circadian rhythm and overall well-being.

How to Start Getting High-Quality Sleep

Once you get into the habit of going to bed and waking up at consistent times, consider your sleep environment. Two key factors to help you get high-quality sleep are light and temperature, which signal your body to release melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep.

• Light: In the morning, exposure to sunlight within the first hour of waking can help your body produce more melatonin at night, contributing to a better night’s sleep. Conversely, at night, dim the lights so that you are in a dark environment for 60 to 90 minutes before bed. Doing so signals to your brain that it’s time to rest.
• Temperature: Research indicates that most people sleep best at a temperature between 60 and 67 degrees, depending on age, sex, and body size. Older adults may prefer warmer temperatures for sleeping.

If you struggle with temperature regulation and it affects your sleep, try taking a hot shower or warm bath before bed. It will help relax your muscles, and the temperature gradient change from the shower to your room will help your body cool down, making you feel more sleepy.

There are many other healthy sleep habits you can adopt over time to improve your sleep further. Start making small changes gradually, and once you find your rhythm, you can add to your sleep routine.