Eat more beans, use an air fryer and try this nap hack, plus 5 more tips to have a great week

Hello, Yahoo Life readers! My name is Kaitlin, and I’m sharing the internet’s best tips for staying well this week.

December is Seasonal Depression Awareness Month. While the lack of light during the day can affect anyone, some people struggle with their mental health more than others due to seasonal affective disorder. Keep an eye out for signs, such as feelings of depression, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating and withdrawal from social activities, which could indicate it’s time to see a mental health professional.

And you should keep your physical health in check too. Lower your risk of illnesses like norovirus or the flu by washing your hands thoroughly, such as after using the bathroom or whenever you come back in from outside your home. Make sure you dry them well as bacteria thrive on wet hands.

Be sure to check out the weather in your area and, if astrologically inclined, your horoscope. Then read these tips below to have a happy, healthy week.

?? Avoid burnout with this phrase

If you consider yourself a perfectionist, you risk suffering from burnout — a state where mental and physical exhaustion from overworking leaves you unmotivated and drained. There’s one phrase that may help you, Iona Holloway, a coach specializing in burnout and founder of the breathwork app Soul, told Self: “Is it good enough?” Asking yourself whether that work presentation or wedding speech you’ve been fussing over is going to satisfy — even if it’s not “perfect” — can help you move on from the task without exhausting yourself, allowing you to be happier and overall more productive in the long run.

?? Stop this bathroom practice

Do you pee “just in case” before you leave the house? You may want to stop, Riva Preil, a pelvic floor physical therapist, told Self. The practice trains your bladder to send signals even when it’s not full, which disrupts its natural rhythm and leads to you wanting to go to the bathroom more often. Instead, aim to only go when you truly feel the urge. (The exception is if it’s been at least two to three hours since your last trip, and you won’t have access to a restroom soon.) You may eventually be able to sit through a full screening of Wicked without any bathroom breaks.

?? Boost your brain with exercise

Big work presentation in the morning? Exercise the night before. A study by researchers at University College London found moderate to vigorous exercise can improve short-term memory up to the next day in adults ages 50 to 84. Exercise gives your brain a quick boost by improving blood flow and releasing chemicals that help with thinking and memory, and while these effects can last for hours, researchers now believe they might stick around even longer because of other changes exercise triggers in the brain. Just make sure you don’t exercise too hard or too late in the evening, as that can disrupt your sleep and reverse the positive impacts.

?? Cook food with an air fryer

Research recently found that air frying was the healthiest cooking method for avoiding indoor air pollution, with pan frying as the worst. Using an air fryer kept particulate matter levels so low that they were hard to distinguish from background air. That’s not the only reason to air fry, however, doing so helps you lessen the amount of oil or other fats you need to cook with, lowering the calories and fat.

?? Switch out your plastic cutting board

Microplastics are concerning — ingesting them is linked to health issues like inflammation and metabolism issues. While you can't avoid microplastics completely, one way to reduce exposure is to switch from plastic cutting boards to materials like bamboo or wood. You can keep these boards in their best condition by priming them with food-safe mineral oil occasionally.

Need more tips on how to reduce plastic in your life? Skip the plastic utensils when you order takeout, bring a metal straw with you and use reusable bags at the grocery store and for other errands.

?? Eat these foods to avoid cancer risk

A study from the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital found that an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids may weaken the immune system’s ability to fight colon cancer. Omega-6s — found in nuts like walnuts and eggs, as well as plant oils such as sunflower and safflower oils (the latter being common in highly processed foods) — are necessary for our diet, but in high amounts, they may hinder cancer-fighting properties of omega-3s, which are found in fatty fish and plant-based sources like flaxseeds and nuts. The researchers recommend increasing omega-3 intake while reducing omega-6-rich processed foods to balance things out and help improve the body’s defenses against cancer. Try topping a salad with sardines or adding crushed walnuts to Greek yogurt or oatmeal.

?? Add more beans to your diet — and eat less meat

The Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is in, and it includes updates to the best diet practices for Americans. This year, the nutrition experts on the committee recommend Americans eat a diet that is higher in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish, as well as plant oils that are higher in unsaturated fat, such as olive oil. They suggest cutting back on red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, refined grains and saturated fat.

?? Nap like a Navy Seal

You’re exhausted, but only have 10 minutes to snooze. Fear not: This nap technique used by Navy Seals will leave you refreshed and ready to go about your day, according to emergency room doctor Dr. Joe Whittington’s recent TikTok. Simply lie on the floor with your legs elevated and calves resting on a surface, like the edge of your bed, creating a 90-degree angle. Keep your eyes closed, and your hands on your chest. Whittington explains that laying in this position for 10 minutes reduces leg swelling, restores blood flow to the core and promotes relaxation while ensuring a refreshed wake-up by timing it with the light sleep phase.

More wellness tips:

• Use a hot water bottle to relieve aches and pains

• Work out with kettlebells to reduce inflammation and gain muscle

• Cook and then cool your rice to increase resistance starch

• Stressed out by work? Try journaling to reduce your mental load.