As 2023 draws to a close, many people begin thinking about new goals and intentions for the fresh year ahead. Whether it’s setting new fitness goals in the gym, improving mental health, or releasing stress around finances, the new year brings an opportunity to initiate meaningful changes.

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions for 2024, a Forbes Health/OnePoll survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted in October 2023 found that nearly 48% of respondents noted that improving fitness was their top priority, with just 36% focusing on their mental health.

That’s a big shift in focus from 2023 New Year’s resolutions. Last year, 45% of respondents noted an improvement in mental health as their top priority, with just 39% citing improved fitness as their number one goal.

In this year’s poll, when respondents were asked whether improving mental or physical health was more important to them in the coming year, a whopping 55% said that these two goals are equally important.

What’s more, research shows that physical fitness may have a positive impact on one’s mental health. A 2023 review of studies examining the effects of physical activity on mental health found that exercise may help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, boost one’s mood, and improve sleep quality.

Other popular 2024 New Year’s resolutions from the Forbes Health/OnePoll survey include improving finances (38.2%), losing weight (33.8%), and improving one’s diet (31.6%).

Meanwhile, fewer people are focusing on goals like learning a new skill (8.8%), making more time for hobbies (7.1%) and traveling more (5.9%).

Source: https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-year-resolutions-survey-2024/