Various lifestyles or health-related habits can significantly impact physical and mental health. Modern lifestyles can increase the risks of some psychological and physiological health problems. Today, many people have an unhealthy lifestyle and face serious illnesses, disabilities, and even deaths. An unhealthy lifestyle can also lead to multiple metabolic diseases like cardiovascular diseases, joint and skeletal problems, obesity, and hypertension.
Lifestyle choice is an essential factor in our health. A healthy lifestyle including proper physical fitness, diet, and weight can provide sound health. Lifestyle has a major effect on our psychological, physical, and social health. It’s very important to have a healthy lifestyle and maintain the right balance between health and a modern lifestyle.
Alcohol consumption, smoking, malnutrition, unhealthy diet, substance and alcohol misuse, and stress are examples of unhealthy lifestyles prevailing in our society. Our lives are facing new challenges due to emerging technologies, such as the internet and virtual communication networks that threaten physical and mental health. due to the misuse and overuse of modern technologies.
Variables of lifestyle that influences health
Many lifestyle factors impact a person’s health. Whether selecting healthy food or avoiding unhealthy substances, lifestyle choices affect daily life.
Diet and body mass index (BMI)
Dietary habits are the major factor in our lifestyle and have a direct and important relationship with our health. Poor diet and its negative results like obesity are common health problems in our urban societies. Urban lifestyle creates nutrition problems like using fast foods, or poor foods, which increase problems like cardiovascular diseases.
Exercise
The addition of exercise to the lifestyle can go a long way in treating general health problems. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can produce good results to increase our health. There exists an essential relationship between an active lifestyle and a happy life.
Sleep
Having good sleep is important for our healthy life. Sleep disorders have plenty of psychological, social, economic, and health-related consequences. Our irresponsible lifestyle can affect sleep, which has a direct influence on our mental and physical health.
Substance abuse
Addiction is the most common unhealthy lifestyle. Some other negative health-related habits include smoking and using other harmful substances that result in various health problems like asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and brain injury. A longitudinal study reveals that 30% of adults between 18 to 65 years old smoke cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes and the use of tobacco should be discouraged at all levels.
Medication misuse
Another unhealthy lifestyle is not taking medication as prescribed. The unhealthy habits in using medication include sharing medication, self-medication, using the medication without a prescription, prescribing a large number of each drug, prescribing too many drugs, using unnecessary drugs, bad handwriting in prescriptions, disregarding the contradictory drugs, disregarding harmful effects of drugs, and not explaining the effects of drugs.
Application of modern technologies
Modern technologies facilitate our lives. However, misuse of technology can lead to undesirable results. For instance, using computers and other electronic devices till late hours at night may affect the pattern of sleep and lead to sleep disturbance. Overusing mobile phones can produce depression symptoms.
Recreation
Engaging in recreational activities contributes to a full and happy life. Leisure time impacts human lives. Neglecting leisure may lead to adverse consequences.
Education
Education provides knowledge and is a healthy exercise for our souls. The prevalence of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, is less common among educated older adults. The habit of challenging one’s brain with regular and moderate study could slow the progress of dementia.
Lifestyle and health outcomes
The choices we make daily, consciously or unconsciously, directly affect our health. This can include a variety of small and large decisions, from our food to how much we move, to our career choice. Failure to prioritize well-being risks damaging health. An unhealthy lifestyle can lead to negative health consequences.
Too little exercise
Exercising regularly and moderately is one of the most important ways to enjoy sound health. In 2019, an analysis revealed that adults in the United States are sedentary for an average of six and a half hours a day, while teenagers are averaging eight hours. This is mainly due to the increasing use of screens and the normalcy of sedentary work settings. As a result, we have become at risk for a range of health problems, including becoming overweight, obesity, poor blood circulation, and weaker muscles and bones.
Increased stress
Modern lifestyles have left many of us feeling anxious and depressed for many reasons, including constant virtual connectivity and the pressure to work long hours with little leisure. Across the world, events like the pandemic and economic uncertainty have become main sources of stress. Because of this, the American Psychological Association is warning about a “national mental health crisis.” Declining mental health worldwide has serious consequences.
Constant stress can lead to various health problems, including hypertension, heart disease, and even diabetes. Stress is an underestimated cause of global health problems.
Too little sleep
According to many experts, constant sleep deprivation is also a national epidemic. Sleep contributes to good health and one should aim for at least seven hours of sleep every night. Undisturbed sleep helps ensure proper recovery from the physical and mental pressure our bodies experience throughout the day. According to the CDC, about one-third of adults are not getting adequate sleep. This is the outcome of many modern factors, such as the overuse of screens, too much alcohol or caffeine, irregular work hours, and stress. Deprivation of sound sleep over the long term can increase the risk of chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, stroke, and heart disease.
Poor nutrition
Certainly, our nutrition has a direct effect on our health. Preferably, our meals should contain highly nutritious, balanced, and whole foods. The demands of our modern lifestyles can make it difficult. Many people have no idea or time to maintain a balanced diet.
We’re in the habit of eating on the go and selecting cheap, processed foods higher in calories, but lacking the nutrients our bodies need to grow properly. The adverse health effects can be harmful in the long run. Poor diets are responsible for causing 22% of deaths among adults due to obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Benefits of a healthy lifestyle
- Short-term benefits: A healthy lifestyle will give more energy and help to maintain a healthy weight in the short term.
- Long-term benefits: In the long term, a healthy lifestyle can increase the life of an individual and minimize the risk of various health problems like obesity, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, and CVS diseases.
- Other benefits: Regular exercise and moderate physical activity will boost stamina, reduce fatigue, and strengthen the body.
- Healthy lifestyle: will make you feel better: It makes people feel better.
- Mental Health: Making positive lifestyle changes can improve mental health.
- Nutritious meals: They will make your body healthy and strong.
Conclusion
Technology directly impacts the modern lifestyle, which leads to our sedentary behavior. Technology has a beneficial impact on our lives by providing comfort, making life easier, and reducing physical activity.
Modern lifestyle behaviors that affect our health include diet, deprivation of sleep, BMI, and lack of physical exercise. Health problems associated with the modern lifestyle include obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and gastrointestinal diseases.
Balancing health and lifestyle is important. A healthy lifestyle can be adopted with a healthy diet, mental well-being, and physical activity. Physicians and clinicians help improve the behavior of patients to help them enjoy a healthier life.
Works cited
- Farhud DD. Impact of lifestyle on health. Iran J. Public health. 2015; 44 (11).
- Essential health. How a “modern lifestyle” can harm your health. Updated August 18, 2021. Accessed December 21, 2022.
- Kerkar P. How does modern lifestyle affect public health? Updated November 2, 2021. Accessed December 21, 2022.