Registered dietitian with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Shanthi Appelo discusses the concept of wellness stacking as an effective way to integrate small, healthy habits into daily routines. This approach can help individuals avoid feeling overwhelmed when making health changes.
Wellness stacking involves layering tiny, healthy behaviors into existing habits rather than overhauling one’s lifestyle all at once. Appelo emphasizes that such incremental changes can lead to consistency and better health outcomes over time.
One practical example of habit stacking is drinking a glass of water while waiting for coffee to brew. This strategy allows individuals who may struggle with hydration to incorporate water intake seamlessly into their morning routine.
Appelo explains, “I think we all understand that we don’t need a new life, but sometimes we just need better habits inside the life that we already have.” By combining healthy actions with established routines, individuals can passively reinforce their new habits, making them more sustainable.
The consistency gained from habit stacking helps to mitigate feelings of burnout that often accompany drastic lifestyle changes. Appelo notes, “That consistency helps beat intensity,” meaning small, repeated actions can be more beneficial than infrequent intense efforts.
Incorporating movement into daily activities, such as a five-minute walk after meals, can also support blood sugar control and digestion. Appelo refers to the combination of food and movement as a “metabolic power couple,” indicating how pairing these habits is beneficial.
The psychological benefits of habit stacking include boosting dopamine levels through small wins, which increases motivation to continue these behaviors. “One thing that it can do is basically we get these, like, it builds our dopamine, because we get these quick wins,” Appelo said, reinforcing the positive feedback loop that habit stacking can create.
For those interested in finding more ideas on how to effectively stack their habits, further information can be explored at ahealthiermichigan.org