Habits Bad for Your Health
By Sara Butler
There are a lot of things that aren't great for your health. Things such as drinking sugary soda each day are at the top of the list if you want to stay healthy and treat your body right. But there are some things you may be doing that are just as bad as drinking unlimited amounts of soda each day. Here are a few things you may want to reconsider if they're a part of your routine that are terrible for your overall health and wellness.
You Don't Sleep Enough
Sleep is something that is vital to your overall health and wellness -- just as much as diet or exercise. When you close your eyes at night and drift off, your body uses that time to replenish and reboot. This time is especially important to the brain. In fact, not getting enough sleep consistently has been linked to a variety of conditions associated with brain health, such as dementia. But it also has been linked to an increased risk of other ailments, such as cancer and heart disease.
You should strive to get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night to ensure that you're providing your body with what it needs to be healthy.
You Sit A Lot
Sitting is the new smoking -- have you heard? That's right, sitting for long periods of time is so bad for your overall health that you may as well be smoking cigarettes in the health risks that it brings along with it.
If you live a sedentary lifestyle, then you're at higher risk of serious chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dementia. Luckily, even a little exercise in your day can go a long way. There's no need for a gym, either. If you can fit in walking wherever you can, such as parking further away from a building's entrance or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, you can make a big impact on your overall health.
You Don't Keep Tabs on Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a condition that is really bad for your health, but it's also something that you may not know about if you don't take the time to monitor your blood pressure. In fact, high blood pressure is often called a silent killer because you may not have symptoms. If your blood pressure is too high for too long, it increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
The lesson? Keep tabs on your blood pressure periodically and talk with a healthcare professional if your numbers are over 130/80.
The things you do each day impact your health, so it's vital to know what hurts and what helps.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sterling, Va.