What doctors wish patients knew about healthy New Year’s resolutions

(Sara Berg/ American Medical Association) — For many people, New Year’s resolutions start and end with the usual suspects: eat better, exercise more, lose weight. But some of the most powerful changes you can make for your health rarely show up on that Jan. 1 checklist.

From addressing your hearing and vision to improving sleep, social connection and even how you use technology, there are health habits that can shape your well-being just as much as a new gym routine. They may not come with step counters or before-and-after photos, but they can affect how you feel, think and function.

Here is a list from the AMA’s What Doctors Wish Patients Knew™ series—which gives physicians a platform to share what they want patients to understand about today’s health care headlines and how to take charge of their health through preventive care—on some health areas patients should focus on for their New Year’s resolutions. (…)