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Wellbeing and habits

Sleep, habits and everyday health words, with the official guidance behind them.

0 to 9

10,000 stepsA popular daily step goal that began as the name of a 1960s Japanese pedometer; later studies find health benefits begin well below it.
4-7-8 breathingA breathing pattern from Dr. Andrew Weil: breathe in through the nose for 4 counts, hold for 7, then breathe out through the mouth for 8.
5-4-3-2-1 groundingA grounding exercise that brings your attention back to the present by naming 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell and 1 you taste.

A

Afternoon slumpThe dip in energy and focus many people feel in the early to mid afternoon, linked to the body's daily hormone rhythm and to what and how much was eaten at lunch.
All-or-nothing thinkingA thinking pattern that sees things in only two extremes, total success or total failure, with nothing in between; also called black-and-white thinking.

B

Box breathingA slow breathing pattern of four equal counts: breathe in for four, hold for four, breathe out for four and hold for four, then repeat.

C

Caffeine cutoffThe time of day after which you stop having caffeine so it doesn't disturb sleep; CDC's NIOSH advises 5 or more hours before you plan to sleep.
Caregiver burnoutPhysical, emotional and mental exhaustion that can build when you spend your time and energy looking after someone else's health and safety.
CatastrophizingA thinking pattern that jumps straight to the worst possible outcome and treats it as likely, often from a small or uncertain trigger.
Circadian rhythmThe body's roughly 24-hour cycle of physical, mental and behavioral changes, such as sleepiness at night, kept in time by a clock in the brain that follows light.
Cognitive distortionA habitual, automatic way of thinking that bends the facts in a negative direction, such as jumping to the worst case or seeing things as all good or all bad.
Compassion fatigueThe emotional toll of caring for people who are suffering, which researchers describe as burnout combined with stress from exposure to others' trauma.

D

Decision fatigueThe idea that making many decisions in a row wears down the quality of later choices, a popular claim whose research evidence is disputed.
Digital detoxA set period when you stop using, or deliberately cut back on, smartphones, computers and other digital devices, usually to rest and lower stress.
DoomscrollingScrolling on and on through bad or upsetting news and posts on a phone or computer, often for longer than you meant to and in a way that's hard to stop.
Dopamine detoxA popular name for a break from quick-reward habits like scrolling, though Cleveland Clinic notes it doesn't lower or clear dopamine from the brain.
Dry JanuaryA month with no alcohol each January, a public challenge Alcohol Change UK began in 2013 to get people thinking about their drinking.

E

Emotional check-inA short pause to notice and name how you feel right now, often as a word, a number on a scale or a point on a feelings chart.
Emotional eatingEating in response to feelings like stress, worry or tiredness rather than physical hunger, often quickly and often more than you meant to.
Evening routineThe set of things you do each evening, in roughly the same order, between the end of the day's work and going to bed, for yourself or a whole household.

F

Feelings wheelA circle chart of emotion words, with a few core feelings in the middle and more precise words around them, used to find the right name for what you feel.
Friendship maintenanceThe everyday effort that keeps a friendship going, which researchers group into four behaviors: positivity, supportiveness, openness and spending time together.

G

Gratitude journalA notebook or app where you regularly write down specific things you're grateful for, often up to five at a time, once a week.

H

Habit stackingJames Clear's name for building a new habit by tying it to one you already do, using the formula "After I do my current habit, I will do my new habit."
Hedonic adaptationThe tendency for the emotional lift or sting of a change to fade over time, so that how happy you feel drifts back toward where it was before.

J

JournalingWriting down your thoughts and feelings, in a notebook or an app, to understand them more clearly and to see what's behind your stress.

L

LonelinessThe painful feeling that you lack close, meaningful relationships or a sense of belonging, whether or not other people are around you.

M

Mindful eatingPaying full, nonjudging attention to eating, including the food's taste and texture and your hunger and fullness, rather than eating on autopilot.
MindfulnessPaying attention to what's happening in the present moment, such as your breath, your body, your thoughts and your surroundings.
Mood trackerA daily record of how your mood was, often a number or a color for each day, kept to spot patterns over weeks and months.
Morning pagesJulia Cameron's practice of writing three pages by hand first thing every morning, about whatever crosses your mind, for nobody's eyes but yours.
Movement snackA short burst of activity, often under a minute, such as a quick climb up a few flights of stairs, repeated a few times through the day; researchers call it an exercise snack.

N

Name it to tame itDr. Dan Siegel's phrase for calming a strong feeling by putting it into words, naming the emotion out loud or on paper so it feels more manageable.
Negative self-talkThe harsh, critical or gloomy things you say to yourself in your head, such as "I always mess this up," often out of proportion to what happened.

O

OverstimulationThe overwhelmed, keyed-up feeling when noise, light, crowds, smells or touch add up to more than your senses can comfortably take in.

P

Personal valuesThe principles and qualities a person holds most important, such as honesty, family or creativity, which guide their choices and how they judge events.
Power napA short daytime nap, about 20 minutes or less, meant to lift alertness without the grogginess that can follow a longer sleep.

S

Screen time for adultsThe hours an adult spends looking at phones, computers, TVs and other screens, for work and for leisure, counted across a day or a week.
Seasonal affective disorderA type of depression that follows the seasons, most often starting in late fall or early winter and lifting in spring and summer.
Self-careTaking time to do things that help you live well and look after your physical and mental health, such as moving, sleeping, resting and staying in touch.
Self-compassionTreating yourself with the kindness you'd offer a friend when you struggle; researcher Kristin Neff describes three parts: self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness.
Self-soothingCalming yourself when you're upset by deliberately using one of your five senses, like a warm drink, a soft blanket or a favorite song, to ease the distress.
Sleep debtThe running total of sleep you've missed, counted night by night as the hours you need minus the hours you actually slept.
Sleep hygieneThe everyday habits and bedroom setup that make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, like a steady wake-up time and a quiet, cool room.
Sleep scheduleThe set times a person goes to bed and gets up each day, planned so they get the hours of sleep recommended for their age.
Sober curiousQuestioning your drinking out of curiosity, cutting back or trying alcohol-free stretches by choice, without having to call yourself an alcoholic or quit for good.

W

Water intakeThe total water you take in each day from plain water, other drinks and food; the National Academies' adequate intake is 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 for women.
Wind-down routineA set of calm, screen-free activities in the last part of the evening that helps you shift from being awake to falling asleep.