New Year Health Check: Start the Year by Checking in With Yourself

The start of a new year is a great opportunity to pause and focus on your health. A New Year Health Check doesn’t have to involve appointments or big lifestyle changes. It’s about becoming more aware of your wellbeing, spotting early signs of problems, and making small, positive changes that can have a lasting impact.

Why a Health Check Is Important

Many common health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, can develop without obvious symptoms. Regularly checking in with yourself can help you:

• Identify potential health issues early
• Feel more in control of your wellbeing
• Make informed choices about your lifestyle
• Set realistic health goals for the year ahead

Early action can make a real difference.

How to Check Your Health

You can start with a few simple self-checks:

Lifestyle habits

Consider how active you are, how well you sleep, what you eat, and how much alcohol you drink. Small changes, such as moving more or improving sleep, can improve both physical and mental health.

Weight and waist measurement

Keeping an eye on your weight and waist size can help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Sudden or unexplained changes should be checked.

Blood pressure

High blood pressure often has no symptoms. Many pharmacies offer free checks, or you can use a home monitor. If readings are consistently high, contact your GP.

Mental wellbeing

Ask yourself how you’re feeling day to day. Changes in mood, motivation, sleep or stress levels are important to notice and address.

Body awareness

Regularly check your body for changes, such as new lumps, changes in moles, persistent pain, or unexplained fatigue. If something doesn’t feel right or doesn’t go away, get it checked.

Get Support

Support is available through your GP, local pharmacies, NHS health checks and screening programmes, and workplace wellbeing services. Seeking advice early is a positive step.

Make This Year About You

A New Year Health Check is about awareness, not perfection. By taking a few moments to check in with yourself, you can start the year feeling informed, empowered and ready to look after your health.

Start 2026 With a Wellness MOT 

A fresh year is the perfect time to reset your health. Our Wellness Medicals and low-cost Level Checks give you a clear view of your health status. Tailored advice from trusted GPs. Available locally for CCC staff: www.theigp.co.uk/ccc 

For further information and support on a variety of Health and Wellbeing topics, please see our Self-Health Check, Healthy Lifestyle Advice pages and our Help and Support page.