Swap out your croissant, do this to avoid a 'dead butt,' and eat sesame seeds: Wellness tips for the week ahead

Hello, Yahoo Life readers! My name is Kaitlin, and I’m sharing this week’s best health and wellness tips.

It’s officially back-to-school season! Even if you graduated a long time ago, take advantage of the fall refresh with our 30 tips on how to recharge. Plus, follow along with our September guide to see what you should do for your health this month, from getting your cholesterol checked to making some seasonally appropriate soup.

To see what this week has in store, check out the weather in your area and, if you’re so inclined, your horoscope. Then read these wellness bites to see how you can live your best life.

🍑 Avoid “dead butt syndrome” with this exercise

“Dead butt syndrome,” also called gluteal amnesia, is when the gluteus medius (one of the three main muscles in your backside) becomes weakened. This is typically due to periods of prolonged inactivity — like sitting behind a desk all day, which can have serious health consequences.

One exercise you can do to wake that butt up is called “good morning.” Bend forward at the hips with a slight bend in your knees, keeping your back straight and engaging your glutes. Return to a standing position. Break up your sedentary time with eight or so of these exercises at a time — and make sure to sneak in walks and other forms of movement whenever possible throughout the day.

🥐 Cut back on croissants

Do you grab a buttery croissant with your coffee every morning? You may want to reconsider. A small trial from Oxford University found that participants who consumed high levels of saturated fat — eating pastries and other buttery foods daily over a three-week period — significantly increased their cholesterol levels and saw a rise in fat around the liver. Meanwhile, the other half of participants ate lots of polyunsaturated fat — found in mackerel and salmon, sunflower oil and walnuts — and actually had an improvement in their heart health markers. The lesson: Croissants might be better as an occasional, rather than an everyday, treat.

🧑‍💻 Stop taking screens to bed

Worried your child’s sleep is disrupted by screens? Instead of banning games and TV, adjust the timing. Research from the University of Otago on 85 adolescents found that while screen time in the two hours before bed had little impact on dozing off, using screens once in bed delayed sleep by about 30 minutes, as well as reduced total sleep overall. This was particularly true for interactive screen activities, like gaming — suggesting it’s best to keep those devices out of the bedroom entirely.

🧠 Make a dopamine menu

Do you find yourself spending a lot of time scrolling through social media and wish you could use that time more productively? Creating a “dopamine menu” — a list of more fulfilling activities to spend your time, often used as a tool for people with ADHD who struggle with executive function — can be a helpful reminder of the things that truly satisfy you. Next time you’re tempted to check out TikTok, try leaning on your list of feel-good activities (reading a book, calling a friend) instead.

👩‍⚕️ Get your annual checkup

A new poll from the Cleveland Clinic revealed that a third of Gen Z and millennial men reported receiving annual physical exams, compared with 61% of boomers and Gen-Xers. Though it may seem less urgent to see the doctor as a young person, it’s no less important. Checkups can help you identify issues such as high cholesterol or blood pressure, which are best to treat as early as possible.

☕ Stack your habits

Want to start a new healthy habit? Try “habit stacking,” a practice in which you attach a new behavior to something you already do. The practice works because you don’t need to exert the mental energy to adopt a new routine into your life — you just anchor it to a habit that’s already there, giving yourself built-in accountability. If you’re looking to practice mindfulness, try it while you make and drink your morning coffee — or, if you’re seeking to read more, pop on an audio book in lieu of music while you work out.

🥯 Eat sesame seeds

If the only time you enjoy sesame seeds is when they’re on top of your bagel, let’s broaden those horizons. These tiny seeds are full of polyunsaturated fats, which can help decrease bad cholesterol levels, according to the American Heart Association. Plus, they help support your bones, heart and even immune function, thanks to their vitamin E, calcium and iron content.

While you can sprinkle these seeds on everything from salads to oatmeal, one easy way to incorporate them into your diet is by using tahini, a condiment made from ground sesame seeds. Mix tahini into hummus, or even try it sweetened with a little maple syrup and cocoa powder for a dessert-like treat.