Monday 26 December 2016

4 Things That You are Doing to Yourself That is Affecting Your Health Without Knowing


Several ailments are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. Did you know that as much as 40% of India’s adult population and 20% of children are affected by obesity? These figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlight the severity of the problem. In fact, there has been a startling increase in the incidences of diabetes and cardiovascular ailments in India, both of which are lifestyle diseases. It not enough to have a health insurance policy. One needs to consciously work towards preventing these ailments. Due to our busy schedules, we often forget to take care of our health and indulge in certain activities on a routine basis that can cause serious health issues in the future. Here are a few common things that we do which can have serious consequences on our health.

4 Things That Affects Our Health

1.      Sitting for long hours: Most of us lead a sedentary lifestyle. We work for long hours at a computer, travel home in a vehicle and relax at home by watching television. None of these activities result in any physical exercise. This can increase the loss of lean muscle tissue, make us more vulnerable to diabetes and heart disease and cause greater anxiety and stress. So, it’s essential to make some changes. Go for a short walk after lunch. Stand up at regular intervals and stretch your arms and back. Make it a habit to exercise every morning, even if it is for 5 or 10 minutes. You could even try going for a walk after dinner.
2.      Overuse of the phone: We depend heavily on our smartphone. Apart from attending calls, we check work-related documents, communicate with friends and family via WhatsApp, play a game and update our social status every now and then. According to studies, overuse of smartphones causes chronic back pain by putting the spinal disks under pressure. Light exposure can cause sleep disruption and also strain the eyes. Using the phone too much also results in weight issues as well as high stress levels. So, instead of watching YouTube on your phone before going to bed, it’s much better to read a book.
3.      Snoring: People generally ignore snoring as just an annoyance, but it can be an indication of a severe health issues. It can be an interruption in breathing during sleep because of a disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea. So, it’s important to not ignore snoring and consult a doctor if you snore and face tiredness during the day.
4.      Drinking tea/coffee on an empty stomach: This is the most common bad habit. It can increase acidity, which in turn can cause heart burn and a decrease in appetite, followed by chronic indigestion.
A little precaution and prevention can go a long way in ensuring better health. Of course, do consider getting a good health insurance plan in India to ensure you can afford better healthcare in case you do fall ill.