Is An Unhealthy Lifestyle Affecting Your Health?

Unhealthy lifestyle is a bane for individual health and quality of life. When a person eats unhealthy food (in most meals), indulges in smoking, excessive alcohol, drug abuse and is sleep deprived, he/she can be said to be living unhealthy lifestyle. These should be a dominant form of lifestyle to be called an unhealthy lifestyle.

Millions of people around the world follow an unhealthy lifestyle that has a direct impact on their health. Some of the negative consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle include obesity, diseases, disability and violence at home & outside. Health issues like heart disease, metabolic diseases, joint & skeletal problems and hypertension are closely linked to an unhealthy lifestyle. Besides, new technologies and gadgets are flooding the life of people, which if used excessively present a threat to your physical and mental health. Individuals who indulge in substance abuse can also be termed as living unhealthy lifestyle, which affects their personal health and wellbeing.

Lifestyle habits that impact health

Good health and healthy lifestyle are closely linked. Here are some lifestyle factors that have an impact on your health.

Diet

Poor diet leads to obesity and associated health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart diseases. People with unhealthy food habits like eating fast food and poor foods have nutrient deficiency. Studies have shown that poor nutrition affects the immune system, a leading cause of many diseases. So, the type of food you eat is directly related to good health and wellbeing.

Physical exercise

Physical exercise is an intricate part of good health and healthy lifestyle. People who exercise regularly maintain a healthy weight and prevent diseases like type II diabetes and high blood pressure. Exercise helps to improve muscle strength and builds endurance. Spending at least 150 minutes per week in any physical exercise improves heart and lung health, which provides more energy for your daily chores.

Sleep

Living unhealthy lifestyle affects sleep pattern that have a strong influence on your physical and mental health. Working on your laptop till late at night affects sleep quality that hampers good health and wellbeing. A lifestyle based on long waking hours on laptops and other gadgets lead to sleep disorder, which has social, economic, psychological and health consequences.

Substance abuse

Addiction to any substance – prohibited or legal – is unhealthy and unsustainable. Smoking or using other substances like alcohol and drugs leads to health problems like cancer, heart disease, asthma and even brain injury. Besides, excessive alcohol and drug abuse can affect your family, relationships, as well as work and social life.

Gadgets and technologies

Technology is there to facilitate human life, but misuse of technology can impede good health and wellbeing. A lifestyle based on excessive use of gadgets and devises can have negative consequences on mental and physical health. For instance, spending time before the computer or using a gadget well past midnight can affect sleep pattern, and cause sleep disorder. Addiction to mobile phone affects social behaviour and eventually leads to depression.

Leisure and recreation

A lifestyle devoid of leisure and recreation can have negative consequences on your physical, mental and emotional health. Recreational activities like walking, hiking or skiing keep you in good health and also help to manage stress. Studies suggest that people who have leisure activities embedded into their lifestyle make fewer visits to their doctor, have lower body fat composition, lower blood pressure levels and lower cholesterol levels. Leisure and recreation is an important component of good health and healthy lifestyle, as it affects mental wellness and overall wellbeing.

Cognitive health

Cognitive health is about a well-functioning brain that helps you to think, learn and remember. Lifestyle factors like diet, exercises, sleep, alcohol & drug use, and leisure activities have a direct influence on your cognitive ability well into old age. People who have an unhealthy lifestyle experience a decline in cognitive functions and have reduced ability to perform everyday tasks. Dementia and Alzheimer’s are common degenerative diseases caused by unhealthy lifestyle. Studies have shown that people who continue to do mental activities like solving puzzles, reading and studying can prevent the onset of dementia.

The bottom line

A healthy lifestyle is the key to good health and happiness. Adopting healthy habits in life lowers the risk of health problems, chronic diseases and early death. Health conditions like cardiovascular diseases or lung cancer can be prevented by avoiding unhealthy lifestyle. There is a direct influence of lifestyle on your health, so it’s a good reason to adopt healthy habits in life.