Thursday,  June 21st, marks the first day of summer! If you’re looking to spice up your workplace wellness initiatives for the summer months, you’ve come to the right place! Below are 21 wellness challenge ideas to keep employees motivated, engaged, and inspired to live a healthier lifestyle this season. 

#1 Get your H20 challenge. Proper hydration is extremely important over the summer season. Warmer weather, increased physical activity, and more time spent in the sun can easily leave employees dehydrated – which can lead to a number of health consequences. Challenge employees to track their water intake for 30 days. 

#2 Pack your lunch challenge. A healthy lunch keeps employees energized and productive throughout the workday. While fast food can be quick and convenient over a lunch break, it’ll leave employees feeling sluggish. Challenge employees to bring their own packed lunch every day for three workweeks.

Employee wellness is best with a hands-on approach. Activities such as wellness challenges, health coaching, and employee wellness days provide employees the opportunity to truly dive in and take control over their health. One of the most underrated hands-on employee wellness activities are lunch and learn sessions. They’re easy, engaging, educational, and most importantly, effective. 

Lunch and learn sessions are exactly what they sound like – a presentation or training session hosted over the employee lunch hour. They provide valuable information for employees in an informal setting. Employers can utilize lunch and learn sessions to compliment their workplace wellness program and further educate employees about the importance of their health.

If your company has never hosted a lunch and learn as part of your employee wellness program, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity! Take a look at some of the benefits of hosting a lunch and learn session, plus some tips for hosting a successful one at your company.

Traveling for work can make it difficult to keep up with a healthy routine. You’re dealing with time changes, struggling to fit in some exercise, and usually forced to dine out. With today’s global nature of the workplace, it’s inevitable that you’ll be traveling for work at some point in your career. 

Because frequent work travel can take a toll on your body and mind, it’s essential to learn some strategies for prioritizing your health on the go. Keep on reading to learn some healthy habits you can practice the next time you hit the road.

Ah, the dreaded afternoon slump. It’s a classic hallmark of office life. As soon as 2 p.m. hits, it feels like all your energy is gone and you can’t seem to concentrate on work no matter how hard you try. Fortunately, there are a few healthy tips you can keep up your sleeves to use help beat those pesky afternoon slumps.

Check out these 11 energy-boosting tips that will help you finish the workday strong: 

According to WebMD, an estimated 40%-75% of people are vitamin D deficient. This is concerning because vitamin D provides numerous health benefits and is an important aspect of your overall health – as it helps your bones, muscles, heart, lungs, and brain function optimally.

Despite its name, vitamin D isn’t just your average vitamin. It actually functions as a hormone once your body absorbs it. Although it might sound like healthy vitamin D levels should be easy to maintain, there are many factors that can make it difficult to get enough of it.

Keep on reading to learn more about vitamin D and why it’s so important to get enough of it.

Hosting an onsite employee biometric screening is a great way to kick-start the summer with some new wellness initiatives. If you plan on hosting a health screening this summer, there are a few things you might want to be prepared for.

Each season offers its own unique set of challenges when it comes to hosting wellness events. However, while there might be some potential challenges, the summer is definitely a great time to host a screening. Since your wellness initiatives might lose some steam over the warmer months, it’s always a good idea to get a fresh conversation about health and wellness started in your office.

The following are a few challenges you might run into while planning a biometric screen during the summertime, plus some tips to help you make your summer screening successful. 

It seems like every day there’s talk about a new diet that promises to change your life and body forever. While many trendy diets might help you shed a few pounds, the truth is that most of them aren’t sustainable – which is why they tend to fail. These types of diets often tell you what you can and cannot eat, and make everyday meals a bit more challenging. Plus, trendy diets don’t lead to life-long healthy habits.

Rather than trying a new diet fad every few months, it’s best to stick with a balanced diet. In fact, one of the healthiest and easiest diets to maintain is a balanced one. A balanced diet means healthy portion control, moderation, and essential nutrient intake. A balanced diet will fuel you rather than restrict you.

One of the reasons why focusing on a balanced diet is such a great choice is because it helps you develop a healthy relationship with food. It’s not about creating a restrictive meal plan or skipping out on a friend’s BBQ, it’s about learning how to properly fuel your body with the food it needs – without having to change your entire lifestyle. 

Below are seven simple and helpful tips for maintaining a balanced diet. These are life-long, healthy habits that can help improve your health and wellness.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. According to the latest research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 100 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes (high blood sugar) – making it one of the most common illnesses in our nation.

Diabetes is a condition that occurs when the body has trouble managing its blood sugar levels. The body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or resists insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and accounts for about 90-95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in adults.

Unfortunately, diabetes is a chronic condition without any known cure. However, through medication and healthy lifestyle changes, the condition can be managed. Because diagnoses of type 2 diabetes continue to increase, it’s imperative that your employees are educated about the largely preventable illness. 

Many innovative companies are looking for new, effective ways to boost employee wellness. The power of mindfulness has been on the rise for many employers that are looking to help improve productivity, boost mental-wellbeing, and reduce some stress in the workplace – and for good reason. Research has shown how practicing mindfulness on a regular basis can train your brain to better process emotions, stress, and help you focus on the present moment.

One of the most popular ways to practice mindfulness is through meditation. Meditation is a mind-body practice that’s been used for centuries to promote calmness, improve physiological balance, and improve overall health. There are many studies that have demonstrated how beneficial regular meditation can be on the mind and body. Which is why more and more companies are starting to offer a meditation program for employees.

If your workforce deals with stress, emotional health issues, or low morale, you’ll likely benefit from implementing a meditation program. Meditation programs have a lot of amazing health and wellness benefits that will have a positive impact on your employees. Let’s take a look at some of the powerful benefits of implementing a workplace meditation program:

May is Better Sleep Month. The Better Sleep Council kick-started the Better Sleep Month campaign to help adults understand the importance of a good night’s sleep. Quality sleep is an important factor in your everyday health. And unfortunately, it’s often overlooked. Without enough quality sleep, our physical, mental, and emotional health suffers. 

Sleep deprivation is such a common problem in the United States that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers insufficient sleep to be a public health epidemic. Experts recommend that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. According to a Gallup study, Americans only sleep an average of 6.8 hours each night, with 40% of Americans getting less than the recommended amount of sleep. This means that many Americans are suffering from the health consequences of poor sleep habits. 

Inadequate sleep can lead to a variety of problems, including: