January 1st is a lie, real health change starts long before the New Year countdown |
By James Davies
Every year, we repeat the same myth that January 1st is the day everything changes.
The health and wellness industry depends on it. Detox teas, juice cleanses, 30 day challenges, bootcamps and heavy gym discounts all appear at the same moment, designed to make young people feel that the only way to improve their wellbeing is through an extreme reset.
But the latest data on oral health, drug misuse and mental wellbeing across England shows something very different. Young people’s health challenges are chronic, not seasonal.
They are not caused by December, and they will not be solved by January.
You cannot reverse years of stress, poor sleep, dental issues, financial pressure or coping behaviours with a four week overhaul. Most of the programmes pushed at this time of year rely on extremes.
They demand perfection, discipline and motivation at a time when life is already overwhelming. When young people struggle to maintain that pace, they feel as though they have failed.
The truth is that these systems were never designed for real life.
Social media makes the cycle even stronger. Endless........