Healthy Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Friends and Loved Ones
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! If you’re anything like me, you’re scratching your head trying to think of gifts for your loved ones that bring real value to their life. But, what’s more valuable than your health?
According to statistical data about New Year’s resolutions, the most popular resolutions, year-over-year, have included living a “healthier lifestyle,” including diet and exercise. To help ring in your loved ones’ New Year, consider these health and wellness gifts to help with their 2023 goals:
Fitness Tracker
Fitness trackers like Garmin watches, FitBits, and Apple Watches are great tools to help you track your health. Most trackers measure metrics like steps, sleep, calories, heart rate, etc., which can help you improve your lifestyle.
Weighted Blanket
Though there is no concrete evidence supporting their effectiveness, many people swear by the use of weighted blankets to help calm and settle the nervous system. The blanket is said to simulate the feeling of being swaddled, similar to deep pressure therapy, thereby reducing anxiety, improving sleep quality, and possibly relieving the perception of pain. These blankets are not recommended for those with sleep apnea, asthma, or claustrophobia.
Air Fryer
According to Medical News Today, though research on the effects of air-fried food is limited, “switching from deep-fried foods to air-fried foods and reducing regular intake of unhealthful oils can promote weight loss.” Click here to check out some healthy air fryer recipes.
Meditation App Subscription
Apps like Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer, Simple Habit, and more are great resources for starting and sticking to a meditation practice. According to Healthline, meditation can help reduce stress, control anxiety, promote emotional health, enhance self-awareness, improve attention span, and more.
House Plants
WebMD notes that there are multiple benefits of including house plants in your home decor, including allergy relief because they act as natural filters against allergens and other airborne particles, improving mood, increasing humidity, and more. If you do decide to buy a house plant for a friend or relative, be sure to check that the plant is not toxic to animals if they have any furry friends in the house, and assess the amount of care and attention needed to take care of the house plant.
Resources
Do Weighted Blankets Work? (Healthline, 2021)
Are Air Fryers Healthy? (Medical News Today, 2019)
