The 3 Wellness Things I’ll Actually Keep Doing This Year…

Because the rest of it fell apart by February.

By Lisa Desantis

There’s no denying that the start of a new year feels like a clean slate, and a good time to start fresh, committing to better habits, and ultimately becoming a “new you”. Fitness membership sign-ups skyrocket on the first of the month for a reason. But the gyms only stay full for about two weeks…until we start to backslide into our old habits, realizing we’ve overcommitted and underprepared. That’s why I subscribe to the notion that every day should be a fresh start. Want to start eating healthier on a Wednesday? Tempted to sign up for a marathon with just a few weeks to train? Feel a pull to press “purchase” on a new fitness tracker just because? In the words of Nike, “Just do it.”

All this to say, as a decades-long beauty and wellness writer (and pilates instructor, ily Forza!) I’ve tried my fair share of buzzy wellness trends– some in the name of writing a story and others because I’m nosy and need to know if the latest health hacks actually work. (I’ve held out on the weighted vest trend– should I give in?!) Some such hacks have stuck around for me, while others have been retired to the wellness graveyard with the CBD-infused activewear of the 2010s (Yes, that was a thing. And yes, I tried it. No, I have no comment other than it’s not still a thing.)

The three wellness things I’ve implemented this year, though, that have earned a permanent spot in my routine are as follows:

1. Listening to sound frequencies daily.

2. Gua sha-ing my face.

3. Red light therapy. 

Sound Frequencies

As a wellness junkie, I’ve been to my fair share of sound bath meditations. And they’re great and relaxing in the moment. But it wasn’t until I started using the Soaak sound frequency app earlier this year that I realized just how impactful sound can be. I was turned on to the idea of sound healing after listening to self-help speaker and author Gabby Bernstein’s Dear Gabby podcast. On one episode, she was joined by the founders of the sound frequency app Soaak, who did a deep dive on how sound can be used to reduce stress, boost energy, enhance sleep, and more. 

It ~sounded~ (pun intended) too good to be true. So, being the self-proclaimed wellness guinea pig that I am, I put it to the test. I downloaded the Soaak app and haven’t looked back. On average, I listen to at least two of their compositions daily. After years of testing, Soaak has created a library of sounds that are meant to address certain emotions and feelings. For instance, most mornings I will listen to either the “Energy/High Vibrations” compilation or “Mood Boost.” And at night, it’s all about “Sleep Well,” and that I do– you can ask my Oura ring. But there are lots of other playlists that cater to a range of varying ailments, from “Anti-Anxiety” and “Depression Relief,” to “Enhanced Creativity” and even ones for when you’re feeling sick, like “Common Cold & Flu” or “Headache & Migraine Support.” Sometimes, before I teach or go on a date, I’ll turn on “Self-Confidence” or “Success.” And the best way I can describe it is that these sounds itch a part of my brain that otherwise cannot be reached, and then somehow relieves the tension there. Bonus: you can have these 20-minute soundbites playing in the background of other music, a podcast, or just on their own– it’s really pretty amazing. On the pod, the Soaak co-founder explained that sound frequencies are adaptogenic and your body uses what it needs and sheds the rest, so your brain is really just tuning into a certain frequency (pun intended, again.) 

I can’t say enough about how this practice has leveled up my routine, and I’m excited to delve deeper into the world of sound healing. Also important to note– the Soaak app can connect to your fitness tracker and create your very own sound frequency based on your current health metrics, whether that’s to calm an elevated heart rate or help you recover from an intense workout. You can manually enter how you’re feeling as well, expressing what kind of support you’re looking for, and it will churn out a frequency that addresses those specific concerns. 

Gua Sha

While this trend was far from new to me, it was one that I hadn’t fully gotten on board with in the past. As derms will tell you, Gua Sha isn’t necessarily going to change the shape of your face or smooth your skin, allowing you to forgo Botox, but it can feel really good. And though it isn’t an alternative for injectables, per se, I have noticed a difference in my skin. Plus, the mornings that I do Gua Sha, I tend to get a lot more compliments on my skin, so that’s enough encouragement for me!

There are many different Gua Sha tools on the market, but the one I’ve gotten into the habit of using is from Cacti Wellness, and it’s made of Tiger’s Eye, so it’s super pretty, which is a nice bonus. To encourage my daily Gua Sha usage, I got a cute tray from Target to keep right on my bathroom counter with my Gua Sha tool and bottle of oil displayed on it. (Gua Sha-ing needs to be done on slick skin, so an oil, serum, or moisturizer with slip is key– I’ve been using this one from Activist.)  This seemingly little adjustment of keeping my Gua Sha essentials out on the counter rather than in a cabinet makes it so I can’t forget to use them.

I’ve found that the puffiness that I wake up to in the morning– especially around my eyes– deflates, my skin looks plumper, and I have an all-around “healthier” glow when I do my Gua Sha first thing when I wake up. And when I don’t, I feel more dull, and just blah. There are plenty of tutorials on how to Gua Sha, but the main technique is, you want to glide the stone up and out across your skin, and then pull it down your neck to move any stagnant lymph around. The action of pulling it down your neck allows for the fluid to be flushed out of the body. This is super helpful for people with allergies and sinus issues, too! 

 Gua sha video

Red Light

While it may seem like red light devices are popping up all over your TikTok and Insta feeds as social media candy, they actually come with their fair share of legit benefits. Not only is red light anti-inflammatory for the skin and body, it also has the power to boost collagen, which in turn speeds healing. Beyond the skin-deep benefits, though, red light has been linked to better sleep and mood, too.

I started wearing my Dr. Dennis Gross SpectraLite Mask for a story I wrote for Women’s Health (aww, look, a pic of me at the Forza studio made the cut!). After wearing it religiously for 30 days, I was pleasantly surprised by my even-toned complexion, and found that it made me more diligent about applying my skincare routine. It’s also so easy to use– you only need to wear it for three minutes, which is so nothing when you think about it. It’s also the perfect thing to habit stack with– I can throw on my mask while journaling and with my sound frequency playing in the background, and then finish with some Gua Sha! Such a wellness vibe! 

If a mask isn’t your thing, though, I also have a red light device from Lumebox. I keep it on my nightstand, so it’s unavoidable, just like my Gua Sha set-up in the bathroom. And, it’s another great tool for habit stacking– I’ll have the red light going as I wind down before bed, whether that means writing, journaling, or let’s be honest, scrolling on my phone…the red light has to cancel out the blue, right?! Not sure about the science on that one. Maybe for 2026, my New Year’s resolution will be keeping my phone out of my bedroom…more on that to come.

The Takeaway

I think the most important thing to take away from these three habits is how easy they are to implement. We often get overwhelmed by the tall order of making over our lives at the start of a new year, but these three tiny habits are here to prove that small changes can have big impacts. I feel like a better version of me when I’ve snuck these three things into my day, and for me, that’s enough to keep at ‘em.

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