How to Feel Healthier in Exactly 30 Days

Yes, before coffee. A glass of water (warm water, in particular) helps stimulate your gastrointestinal tract so your body is better able to absorb nutrients and pass food through your system with ease, according to a study by the University of North Carolina.

It’s one of the best things you can do for your health. (Seriously, it’ll keep your skin clear and your energy up. It will also boost your metabolism.)

Squeeze just a little bit into your water glass and it will protect your immune system and could also help you lose weight. A win-win.

Watermelon, cucumbers and pineapple all have high water content, so they have the same impact as drinking H2O. They’ll also help keep you full and satisfied longer than that bag of chips.

So you’re rushing to get out the door. We get it. But new research from Columbia University suggests that skipping this morning meal (or enjoying it too late in the day) can raise your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. So, eat up.

Yep, getting just a whiff of fresh air—for 20 minutes or less—is enough to improve your mood and reduce stress, according to Stanford University research. (The best-ever case for the walking meeting, right?)

Face-to-face catch-ups with pals (or colleagues you adore who are grabbing lunch at the same time as you) can cause oxytocin levels—aka happiness hormones—in your body to soar. Stress blocks oxytocin. Joyful conversations release it. Enough said.

Just you, Google and a timer set for 20 minutes. That’s the time it’ll take to map out the recipes you want to make (like this one or this one). Do this every Sunday morning before you head to the grocery store and you’ll cut calories two ways: 1) By cooking more and 2) by being more mindful about what you eat.

A single viewing of Bridesmaids will help you burn 150 calories. (Laughing burns between 10 and 40 calories per 10 minutes, FYI.)

Come on, replacing wine with a yoga session (or a Little Mermaid fitness class) can be just as fun and restorative.

Wayyy better than your at-the-gym triceps workout. Promise.

You have to wait out the Hulu ads anyway. Might as well burn 40 to 50 calories. (At the end of an hour-long episode, it really adds up.)

Going up and down multiple flights (as long as you’re not lugging a suitcase) is the best way to improve your lung capacity. No joke.

Aside from the fact that it helps ward off sickness, it can also help you lose weight and feel more energized and relaxed.

Just because you’re eating out doesn’t mean you have to break the calorie bank. Ask for salad—or the veggie of the day—instead of that side of fries. (In most cases, restaurants will keep the price the same.)

The extra shut-eye will make it easier to wake up earlier. As a result, your whole day will run that much more smoothly. The goal.

Even the ten-minute version at your local nail salon can work wonders when you’re feeling a tad run down.

Buddhify ($4.99) offers quickie exercises that promote mindfulness whether you’re just waking up or on a work break.

Plan to log off Instagram (and work email) at least an hour before bed to spare yourself over-stimulation from too much blue light. (It hinders melatonin production, FYI.)

If you really can’t shut it down, this setting makes it a cinch to customize your iPhone’s color temperature according to your sleep cycle. Simply go to Settings, select Display and Brightness and then toggle the button to Scheduled. You can adjust the blue light from there.

It’s the best antidote to a to-do list filled with tasks you dread. (Jotting down things that make you happy helps re-focus your perspective. Hello, mood boost.)

The next time you can’t shake an anxious moment, duck into a private space and flail your arms or hop in place. It will jostle your lymphatic fluid, reset your nervous system and get feel-good endorphins pumping through your body. Yessss.

It’s packed with healthy bacteria that aids digestion and wards off stress. Win-win.

It not only fulfills half your daily vitamin C requirements—a single clementine contains 36 grams—the citrusy scent can improve your mood. (Yay, aromatherapy.)

Eating too much of it can increase depression and impede mental acuity, according to Harvard University. A trick to avoid it: At the grocery store, do your best to stick to the perimeter of the store. (The worst offenders lurk in the chips and cookie aisles. Eep.)

Caffeine dependency is real. See if you can go without it for a week (or heck, try a month). After you get through the withdrawal symptoms, you’ll likely see significant improvements in your mood and sleep.

Yep, fidgeting is healthy. (It will increase blood flow to your limbs, according to a study from the University of Missouri.)

Sometimes, saying no and blocking off "me" time is the healthiest thing you can do. (Permission to try this for more than one night.)

Your daily goal is 10,000 steps. And a cute pup is the best-ever incentive to get out the door.