Sleeping after 12 am every day, surviving on caffeine, working non-stop even on the weekend, and stressing out all day. Does this sound like you? Yes, then you need to change your lifestyle.
However, a healthy lifestyle is not only about eating healthy food or having a slim body. It is also about other things, like stress or sleeping routine. If you are eating right but sleeping only four hours a day, you are not leading a healthy life; sooner or later, it will catch up to you.
An unhealthy lifestyle can lead to many physical and mental health issues. Thus, making changes to your life is necessary. Still not convinced? Read below to learn what an unhealthy lifestyle can do and how to overcome it.
Not working out or being active.
People think that working out, doing yoga, or being active is all about being thin. It’s not! Being thin doesn’t make you healthy, but being obese is no better.
When you are obese, your body is prone to diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, and more. Therefore, one lifestyle change to make is to start working out or being active. And this doesn’t have to be a chore.
Just pick one activity that makes you happy and moves, like walking on a treadmill, swimming, dancing, or doing yoga.
Stressing too much
Our lifestyle is such that every person is stressed about work, money, or both. Stress is one of the reasons that young people are getting heart attacks. Chronic stress increases the cortisol hormone in our body, which leads to inflammation, a leading cause of blocked arteries and cancer.
Thus, work on decreasing stress by doing meditation, journaling, yoga, and more. Also, stay away from scrolling too much on social media, as that is another reason for chronic stress among young people.
Restrictive dieting
Diet culture is catastrophic as it can deprive your body of essential nutrients, making you prone to sickness. Influencers on social media promote diet culture, and people fall prey to that. But cutting out whole food families from your diet or following a crash diet to lose weight can lead to IBS, skin problems, headaches, an irregular menstrual cycle, and more. Also, restrictive dieting increases cortisol levels, and as mentioned above, it can lead to inflammation, the root cause of multiple diseases.
To overcome this, work with a dietitian or nutritionist. They can design a diet based on your health objectives without removing anything from your diet. They account for your health issues and ensure no further problems arise.
Drinking too much alcohol
Drinking a glass of wine or beer once a week is okay. But if you drink every night, it can lead to health issues. Too much alcohol can increase obesity in people, a major reason for diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and so on.
To overcome this, limit your alcohol intake, and if you are overly dependent on it, look for help to cut back or give up alcohol.
Sleeping late or not sleeping enough
Sleep deprivation is the worst thing you can do for your health. This lifestyle habit needs to change because when you don’t get enough sleep, you are compromising more than just your next day. Not enough shut-eye interferes with your decision-making abilities and weakens your immune system. Also, insufficient sleep disturbs your hormones, which can lead to many issues in both men and women.
To overcome this, prioritize your sleep. Make sure you get 7-8 hours of quality sleep every day. Moreover, make a consistent sleeping routine to not feel tired or dependent on caffeine the next day.
Not spending time in sunlight.
In current times, everyone has a vitamin-D deficiency because no one likes spending time in the sun. The reason? It can cause skin cancer. Well, it may, but not spending enough time on it can also cause cancer, inflammation, nutrient deficiency, and other issues due to the body’s low levels of vitamin D.
To overcome this, spend 10-15 minutes in direct sunlight, preferably right after sunrise. It is the best time to get some vitamin D without overexposing yourself to UV rays. Also, wear sunscreen to protect yourself.
Make these lifestyle changes now and start living a healthier life. COVID was an eye-opener, and another pandemic will come, so strengthen your body and immune system with a better lifestyle.