5 New Year’s Resolutions for Better Breathing, Eating, and Sleep in 2025

Dec 23

As the new year approaches, many families are setting goals to improve their health and wellness. Whether you’re looking to optimize your child’s sleep, encourage healthier eating habits, or simply breathe better, now is the perfect time to make small but impactful changes. Here are five New Year’s resolutions to help you achieve better breathing, eating, and sleep in 2025.

1. Make Oral Rest Posture a Priority

One of the simplest yet most effective changes you can make is improving oral rest posture. This refers to the position your mouth, tongue, and lips take when at rest. Proper oral rest posture can support better breathing, swallowing, and overall oral health.

How to Improve Oral Rest Posture:

Keep the lips closed: This helps keep the airway clear and encourages nasal breathing.
Rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth: The tongue should be gently placed against the roof of the mouth, not hanging low in the mouth.
Posture matters: Ensure that your body posture is upright and aligned, as this encourages proper oral posture.

With consistent practice, oral rest posture can become second nature, benefiting overall health.

2. Help Picky Eaters Transition to a More Balanced Diet

For many parents, picky eating is a significant challenge, but it doesn't have to be a roadblock to healthy eating. Encouraging a balanced diet starts with making gradual changes and creating a positive mealtime environment.

How to Transition Picky Eaters:

Introduce new foods slowly: Start by offering new foods alongside familiar favorites. Over time, you can reduce reliance on the familiar and expand their palate.
Make meals fun: Get creative with food presentation—use colorful plates, fun shapes, or dip options to engage children with food in a playful way.
Focus on texture: Many picky eaters struggle with certain textures. Gradually introduce different textures by altering the way foods are cooked (e.g., steaming, pureeing, or roasting).
Avoid pressure: Encourage, but don’t force. Allowing children to explore food at their own pace helps reduce mealtime stress.

With the right approach, even the pickiest eaters can develop a more varied and balanced diet.

3. Establish Better Sleep Routines for Children and Adults

Sleep is essential for overall health, but many children and adults struggle to maintain consistent sleep habits. Creating a solid sleep routine can significantly improve rest quality, boosting mood, focus, and energy throughout the day.

How to Improve Sleep Routines:

Set consistent sleep and wake times: A regular schedule helps regulate the body’s internal clock.
Create a calming bedtime routine: This could include activities like reading, a warm bath, or gentle stretches. Avoid screens and bright lights before bedtime, as they can interfere with the body’s natural sleep cycle.
Ensure a comfortable sleep environment: Make the bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Consider using white noise machines or blackout curtains if necessary.
Encourage healthy sleep habits: Limit caffeine intake, especially for children, and promote regular physical activity during the day.

By prioritizing sleep routines, families can enjoy better quality rest and wake up feeling refreshed and energized.

4. Encourage Nasal Breathing

Nasal breathing is crucial for overall health. It filters and humidifies the air, regulates airflow, and supports better oxygen intake. Many people tend to breathe through their mouths, especially when they’re stressed, sick, or asleep. This can lead to a variety of issues, including dry mouth, snoring, and even poor sleep quality.

How to Encourage Nasal Breathing:

Practice nasal breathing during the day: Remind your children (and yourself) to breathe through the nose rather than the mouth, especially during physical activities or when at rest.
Use nasal strips: For people who tend to breathe through their mouths at night, nasal strips can help open up nasal passages and encourage better airflow.
Create a relaxing atmosphere: Using a humidifier at night can help keep the nasal passages moist, making it easier to breathe through the nose.

Incorporating nasal breathing into daily routines can help improve overall health and prevent mouth-related issues, including dry mouth and bad breath.

5. Consider Myofunctional Therapy to Achieve Better Health

Myofunctional therapy (MFT) is an effective approach to addressing a variety of health concerns related to breathing, eating, and sleep. Myofunctional therapists work with individuals to identify and correct dysfunctional oral habits, such as mouth breathing, tongue thrusting, and poor swallowing patterns.

How Myofunctional Therapy Can Help:

Improving nasal breathing: MFT addresses the underlying causes of mouth breathing, helping individuals transition to healthier nasal breathing.
Supporting proper oral rest posture: MFT strengthens the muscles involved in swallowing and breathing, encouraging proper oral posture.
Enhancing feeding skills: For picky eaters, MFT can help improve oral motor function, making it easier to tolerate a wider variety of textures and foods.
Improving sleep quality: By addressing airway issues such as mouth breathing or improper tongue posture, MFT can reduce snoring and help individuals achieve more restful sleep.

Whether you’re struggling with picky eating, sleep disruptions, or breathing difficulties, myofunctional therapy offers personalized solutions that can create lasting improvements in health.

Conclusion

As we step into 2025, making these five resolutions for better breathing, eating, and sleep can significantly impact your family’s well-being. Simple changes like improving oral rest posture, encouraging nasal breathing, and establishing better sleep routines can pave the way for healthier habits. And for those facing more complex challenges, myofunctional therapy provides a holistic approach to address the root causes of issues, guiding families toward lasting improvements.

Wishing you a year of better health, restful sleep, and happier mealtimes in 2025!