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Healthy Habits List: The habits worth building for long-term health

Habits are behaviors that become so routine that you hardly think about them.

Healthy Habits List: The habits worth building for long-term health

Reviewed by: Caitlyn Edwards, PhD, RD, Senior Research Scientist, Research

4 MIN READ — 3 Citations — 05/27/2026

Health is built and maintained through habits and routines. Let’s go over the essential habits worth focusing on to achieve long-term health.

Key Takeaways

01.
Healthy habits are the practices that benefit both the physical body and your mental well-being.
02.
Healthy habits for physical health include sleep, nutrition, and movement. Healthy habits for mental health include meditation, rest, and leisure.
03.
Consistency is key; habitual daily behaviors compound and contribute to a healthy life, long-term.

Here is the essential list of good habits to prioritize long-term healthy living.

Introduction to healthy habits

Habits are behaviors that become so routine that you hardly think about them.

Daily behaviors like sleep, movement, nutrition, and mental and emotional wellness compound over time and gradually influence how the body and mind function. These core pillars of health interact across multiple systems in the body, benefiting things like energy, cognitive clarity, emotional regulation, immune resilience, and metabolic balance. Turn them into habits—nearly or completely involuntary behaviors—and you’ll be building a core foundation for your health.

Daily habits for physical health

Here are some key habits to keep you feeling and functioning at your best.

Sleep

Sleep doesn’t just feel amazing; it’s fundamental to overall health. Sleep supports energy levels, cognitive performance, hormonal balance, and immune function.¹ Consistent, quality sleep helps maintain all of these normal body functions. Beyond the duration of your sleep, the consistency and timing of when you sleep are critical: a stable sleep–wake cycle supports circadian rhythms that influence key wellness components like energy, digestion, and mood.

Movement

Movement supports nearly your entire physiological system, from cardiovascular health to muscular strength, to energy regulation, and more. Both aerobic exercise and resistance training should be a regular part of your routine because they play important roles in your health. Don’t forget those weights: strength training helps preserve lean muscle mass, which is critical for metabolism, strength, and long-term independence.

Nutrition

A balanced intake of protein, fiber, healthy fats, and carbohydrates supports all of your body’s functions and is a building block of long-term health. Healthy dietary patterns rich in whole foods, antioxidants, and high-quality protein support your body’s normal functions and your long-term well-being.

Nutrition is driven by consistency rather than restriction—the most effective approach is one you can sustain. Rather than aiming for perfection, the focus should be on consistently getting good nutrition, while still making room for the foods and drinks you enjoy on special occasions.

Supplements

Data shows that most Americans fall short in many key nutrients, causing what’s known as a nutrient gap: the discrepancy between the levels of nutrients the average person obtains from their diet versus the recommended levels. Enjoying AG1 every morning is an easy way to help fill nutritional gaps.*

Mental wellness practices

Mental and emotional health are connected with your physical health; they influence stress regulation, cognitive performance, sleep quality, and long-term physical function and resilience. It’s important to consider your mind and mood as part of your body, and include mental wellness in your health practices.

Human connection

Strong social relationships support emotional well-being and mental resilience over time.² Even if they’re brief, regular interactions with people we enjoy contribute meaningfully to our emotional resilience and our ability to cope with stress. This means that over time, positive relationships positively impact our overall psychological well-being. Connection with others is a stabilizing force that supports both mental and physical health over time.

Spend time outside

The kids had it right: Being outside supports energy and just feels good. Natural light helps regulate your sleep and energy, while fresh air and a change of environment can help lower stress and clear your head.

There’s also a behavioral component: being outside often encourages movement, breaks up screen time, and creates opportunities for social interaction, all of which support a healthier mindset. Even small shifts, like getting fresh air or changing your environment, can help reset your focus and improve how you feel.

Mindfulness, prayer, or journaling

Mindfulness practices have been shown to support stress management, emotional regulation, and cognitive function.³ Journaling supports emotional processing, clarity, and mental organization.⁴ This can be structured or unstructured. Some people use this practice to reflect on the day, while others use it simply to unload thoughts and create mental space.

Healthy habits list

A healthy lifestyle is built on consistent daily habits that support the body’s normal functions.

Pillar	Specific Habits to try
Nutrition	Plan your meals, at least 2+ per week, so you have all the whole ingredients you need on hand. Make eating whole foods easy. Keep pre-prepped whole foods accessible. “Eat the rainbow” and have fun trying new, colorful foods. Get a new cookbook or follow a new creator with creative, healthy recipe ideas.
Supplements	Consume a daily health drink like AG1. Make the habit stick: Set out your supplement the night before so it’s the first thing you see in the morning.
Exercise / Regular Movement	Choose physical activities that you enjoy. Light activities such as walking, gardening, and yoga count towards an active lifestyle. Work out when it’s right for you: morning, midday, or evening. Sign up for classes you haven’t tried yet to keep it interesting. Work out with a friend; plan to jog together, golf together, walk your dogs together, or try pilates together.
Quality Sleep	Keep a consistent sleep schedule (even on weekends) to regulate your body’s internal clock. Try implementing a sleep tracker app. Embrace a stricter bedtime routine, such as lowering the lights earlier, taking a bath, or reading a book. Turn off all blue-light-emitting devices at least an hour before sleep.
Time Outside	Take phone calls outside, or have your coffee in the sun (we know: when it’s cold outside, outdoor habits are a little harder to maintain). Take more short walks (try parking farther away). Treat yourself to outside activities like biking, gardening, playing with your pets, picnic-ing, or eating outdoors.
Human Connection and Hobbies	Set up ongoing meetups, like weekly poker, daily walks, Saturday-morning market & coffee, etc. Instead of texting, give your friends a call. Prioritize seeing friends in person. Nurture creative hobbies that allow you to work with your hands. Make time for the relaxing and fulfilling hobbies that make you feel like yourself.

Your path to a healthier life

A healthy life prioritizes the pillars that contribute to your physical and mental well-being: sleep, exercise, nutrition, and relaxation.

These healthy habits are meant to support you, and their impact comes not from perfection, but from showing up consistently. A healthy lifestyle is built through daily practices that become automatic over time. These consistent choices compound into lasting vitality and resilience.

References:

Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010
Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Layton JB. Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS Med. 2010;7(7):e1000316. Published 2010 Jul 27. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316
Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EM, et al. Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(3):357-368. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.13018