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10 Habits that can ruin your life

Taking care of someone else’s health is easy but normally taking care of our own health is a thing which many people are lacking behind. There are many healthcare tips that we can easily find on the internet and many healthcare regimes, exercises or routine which we can follow but instead of that, people are having a busy schedule, forget to take out some time and make their own health happy. But before taking much time out, you must know about what you are doing wrong in your daily routine which is steadily ruining your health without even letting you know. There are several bad habits that can wreak havoc on your health and fitness, thereby affecting your life in a detrimental way.

Habits ruining the health

There are many points that can be noted which are contributing in ruining your health. Some of the common habits are as follows:

Poor posture: Posture is a must to maintain as it can make or break the structure of your body. You must not slouch while sitting as it might comfort you but will gradually make your posture bad. Body’s stability and balance are directly affected by an alternative spine.

Working on the computer with the improper position of hand: We know that spending too much time on the computer is not healthy for your eyes and tend to neglect the other harmful effects. Continuously sitting on the computer for long hours can cause numbness and pain. This can increase the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Due to this syndrome, a person may feel tingling, numbness, and pain in the hands.

Stress: If you are not happy with your lifestyle or work then you may release stress hormones that will increase your blood sugar, lower immunity, slow digestion, and can make you obese. Modern life can ultimately lead to chronic stress and to extensive impacts on health such as sleep problems, change in sex drive, irritability and anger.  If you have stress symptoms, taking steps to manage your stress can have numerous health benefits. To prevent, you can go through several stress management strategies such as deep breathing, meditationor yoga. Take some time out for your hobbies, reading a book or listening to music.

Consumption of alcohol: Consuming more amount of alcohol can actually do harm to your body. It is being known that alcohol consumption can lead to various health problems including cirrhosis of the liver or injuries related to automobile accidents. Besides this, excessive alcohol consumption is also linked to heart disease, depression, gout, and cancer or nerve damage.

Smoking: Smoking is injurious to health as it increases the risk of diseases like lung cancer, developing mouth, throat, and bladder cancer. It makes the capacity of your lungs short and if you once quit then the health benefits are almost immediate, because your lungs and cardiovascular system begin repairing themselves within minutes of your last cigarette. Within a month, your lungs will work better and you should be coughing less, feel more energetic, and have less shortness of breath. Quitting smoking can reduce cancer threat; heart disease improves your sense of taste and smell and gives you better endurance.

Breakfast skipping: Breakfast is the first meal you take during the day which energizes your metabolism and charge you for the day. Skipping breakfast can seriously affect your health by making you weigh more, negatively impacting on your hormonal health, cognition, and mood.

Poor sleep: If you constantly avoid your sleep or rest hours, that will lead you to fatigue or higher the risk of depression. Poor quality of sleep can create problem to your immune system function, excessive production of cortisol (steroid hormone), which usually increases the weight and stress levels in the body.

Not drinking enough water: Drinking water is essential for life. If you continuously keep yourself dehydrated by not drinking the proper amount of water throughout the day it will show a major impact on your health. Your skin will become dry and lifeless.

Don’t let stress suppress your life

Know about stress and how be to be stress-free

Stress, tension, and anxiety have become part of our daily routines; it has impacted our lives hugely and has become everyone’s behavioral trait. We see every task of our life as a new tension. Even getting a few hours of rest seems like a mission to some of us. Being in stress all the time results in releasing of chemicals into the blood, thereby affecting our health and giving birth to a new form of tension related health problem. Tension and anxiety hamper your body and mind in different ways, for example, you sometimes even forget to drink water, skip meals and are not able to interact properly with others. Stress may lead to health problems like asthma, diabetes, headaches, indigestion, etc. If stress is not managed it may affect a person’s psyche. 

Signs of extreme stress

The trickiest thing about stress is you don’t realize you are getting used to it. You don’t understand what is going on inside. It may seem normal how your body reacts to certain situations but, eventually you get used to it. Therefore, it is important to know the signals and symptoms of stress. Symptoms of stress can be divided into four categories. 

• Emotional Signals- Feeling of isolation and loneliness, depression, agitation, always irritated, unhappiness, anxiety. 
• Behavioral Signals- Smoking a cigarette, consuming alcohol, taking drugs for relaxing, excessive or no appetite, lack of sleep or sleeping too much, nervousness.
• Physical Symptoms-Dizziness, constipation, pain and aches, infections, abnormal heart beat rate.
• Psychological Symptoms- Loss of memory, negative attitude, poor judgment, unstoppable thoughts, lack of concentration. 

Causes of Stress

The factors that contribute to stress are known as ‘Stressors’. Causes of stress can be of two types- internal causes and external causes. 

• Internal Causes of stress- Always expecting worse, stubborn mind sets, negative inner self, not able to accept reality.
• External Causes of stress- Peer pressure, relationship problems, financial burden, trauma or injury, poor work conditions, death of a close one.

Health Problems due to stress

Stress can damage almost every system in your body. From immune system to digestive system, reproductive or respiratory system and lead to health issues. Common health problems related to stress are-

• Heart Disease
• Skin infections
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
• Neurological Problems

How to cope up with stress 

• Healthy Diet- Tasty and healthy food is one of the best stress busters. A diet full of carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, vitamins can help you in combating stress and keeps you always energetic.
• Exercise- Engaging yourself in some kind of physical workout increases the amount of blood flow in your body and maintaining your heart beat rate. Regular workout involving running, walking, swimming, yoga, and aerobics can be beneficial in relieving stress.  
• Link with others- Hanging out with your friends and family can also help in dealing with stress. Complementing and helping others can bring a lot of change within you. Spending time your pet also keeps your mood fresh.

The effects of sleep pattern disturbance you are not aware of

It is a common knowledge that sleep is essential for human beings. 6-7 hours of daily sleep is necessary because sleep helps in keeping the heart healthy, it reduces stress and also helps in improving memory. However, sometimes, people have a difficulty in falling asleep for the adequate amount of time every day. They may sleep for very short period or for too long. This is known as sleep pattern disturbance, and can be caused due to several reasons.

Sleep Disorder Causes

Due to the modern-day lifestyle, stress has become an integral part of people's lives. Stress is the number one cause of disturbances in sleep patterns in people. Increasing anxiety and stress, people have difficulty in falling asleep every day. Along with stress and anxiety, fear, depression or any illness can also cause disturbances in sleep.

Consumption of caffeine containing products like coffee, sodas also lead to insomnia or lack of sleep.

There are several sleep disorders that can cause disturbance in the sleeping pattern. For e.g., disorders like insomnia, parasomnia, dyspnoea, can also be the potential causes for this condition. Therefore, we observe that this condition can be caused by as simple a condition as lack of physical activity, disturbances in the environment; or due to complex disorders like side effects of certain medication, illness or anxiety.

It should also be noted that sleep pattern and depression are related to each other. Depression can be one of the major causes if a person suffers from sleep disorders for a long time, without any known abnormality.

Sleep Disorder Symptoms

Difficulty in falling asleep is the most common and obvious symptom of sleeping disorders. The person may also wake up very early than usual, feeling of exhausted. These symptoms are accompanied by several other symptoms like feeling sleepy during the day, irritability, lethargy, fatigue, weakness, disorientation, inability to concentrate, frequent yawning and having dark circles under eyes. They look exhausted, have a blank expression on their face; and may show short temper and agitation.

Sleep disorders can also give rise to symptoms like bed wetting, sleep talking, sleepwalking in toddlers.

Sleep Disorder Treatment

It is essential to find out the root cause of sleep disorder in order to look for proper treatment. In case, the disorder is found only in one or two instances, there is nothing to worry about. On the other hand, if it appears frequently, one should surely look for professional help to treat it.

Sleep pattern disturbance related to pain or illness can be treated by treating the underlying illness itself with proper medical help. Other sleep disorders can also be treated with the help of medications and therapy. It is advised that people should not go for sleep medications without prescription, as they can be addictive and cause several side effects.

Self-help Methods

• Stress, anxiety, fear, should be reduced by following proper relaxation techniques. Techniques like yoga and meditation help in the same.
• People should avoid having caffeine containing products like coffee as they are related to insomnia. Similarly, smoking and drinking should also be reduced and avoided before bedtime.
• You should carry out at least one physical activity every day or exercise regularly to have sound sleep.
• You should follow a proper sleeping pattern or schedule, and avoid sleeping for long hours during the day.
• Lastly, you should note that the bedroom should be peaceful and quiet so as to avoid any disturbance while sleeping.

Proper sleep is essential for overall well-being. Therefore, you should treat sleep disorders with proper methods or professional help at the earliest.

How Mental Health Affects Physical Health

There is an inextricable linkage between your physical and mental health. Many people still tend to ignore the plain truth that our body's physical health is interlinked to our mental health, and both cannot be separated. A decline in one of them causes disruption to the other. Whenever you are stressed, disturbed, or feeling emotionally low, you suffer from physical ailments that make you inactive and unhealthy. There are hundreds of studies that have demonstrated this strong connection.

Effects of Poor Mental Health on Your Physical Well-being

• According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, poor mental health reduces the immunity of your body, making you more vulnerable to physical ailments.
• Lifestyle changes have increased stress, and other mental health problems are taking its toll on the overall well-being and health of the population. Stress has been linked to many diseases and physical ailments. Negative feelings as well as poor mental health aggravates any physical discomfort experienced by the body.
• Stress, anxiety, and depression can lead to hordes of disturbances in your physical health, such as sleep disruptions, digestion problems, back pain, headache, fatigue, etc. Stress hormones are released in the body, which may increase blood pressure and trigger anger, aggressiveness, fear, or any negative feelings. If this continues for a long time, the persistent high level of stress hormones in the body causes changes in the brain chemistry. This could culminate into heart diseases, stroke, sleep problems, headaches, and other chronic illnesses.
• Obesity is prevalent among children and adults alike, which makes them inactive, lazy, and more vulnerable to various diseases and infections. Again, if you are physically unfit, your mood changes, which makes you irritable and cranky and affect your general well-being and health.
• Intense emotions, breakups, loss of a loved one, etc., make you feel low. These stressful situations leave you depressed. If you bottle up your feelings, they tend to come out in the form of aggression, anger, rejection, etc. A person with a mental health condition is more likely to indulge in risky and unsafe actions, like substance abuse, violence, self-destruction, or suicide.
• People with chronic pain are thrice at a risk of developing a mental health condition and those suffering bouts of depression are three times more at a risk of developing continuing long-term pain.

Hence, it is very important to take care of your emotions, and preserve a balance between your physical and mental health.

How to maintain balance between mental and physical health

• Taking care of yourself is vital in the first place. Our body gives out signals to convey that all is not well with it. Look out for these signs. Do not ignore them as they are ways of communication between you and your body.
• Venting out your feelings and indulging in an activity to relax and soothe your nerves is extremely essential. Exercising and yoga are ways through which you can keep stress at bay. Exercise reduces stress, increases blood circulation, and improves immunity.
• Crying is also an excellent way of dealing with stress, grief, and other negative emotions. The emotional tears contain higher amounts of the stress hormones, which are eliminated from the body. This is the reason why crying makes you feel good.
• Indulging in your favourite hobby, like reading, travelling, trekking, cycling, etc., which you thoroughly enjoy doing, will help keep stress at bay. It will help you relax and rejuvenate.

Therefore, your mental health also plays a critical role to keep you physically fit. Keep a positive attitude. Learn and inculcate effective ways to cope with the negative feelings, and adopt a healthy lifestyle, which will not only improve your overall health, but will keep you fit as a fiddle to overcome all the obstacles in life.

Time For A Break: Five-Point Stress Busters

It is difficult to point out one way in which stress can affect you. Psychologists believe it can harm you in multiple ways; that it is, in fact, a ‘silent killer’. Unfortunately, in today’s highly competitive world, the number of people suffering from stress is rapidly increasing.

90% of the working class is stressed because of some reason. Once you are stressed, you lose concentration in addition to inviting diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, tension and migraine.

However, experts opine that beating stress isn’t that difficult if a person is aware of it. Here are 5 easy ways to bust it:

Vent It Out

One of the major reasons for stress, according to psychologists, is the bottling up of emotions. The best way to get rid of it is by venting out the frustration. Write down everything that is happening within you. Everything will be in black and white in front of you. That also helps in getting to know what causes stress and ultimately in resolving the issues.

Good Food, Good Life

Diet directly influences the brain’s neurotransmitter system, thus influencing one’s mood. Diet that is rich in carbohydrates relieves depression but increases chances of disorders such as carbohydrate craving and obesity. A well-balanced diet rich in protein and micronutrients, moderate in carbohydrates and low in fat generally improves the mood.

Indulge In Love Making

When the feeling of compassion is triggered, it is out to enhance your mood. Science suggests that good sex reduces pain and discomfort. The body also releases oxytocin-the love hormone-during sex which makes a person happy. Talk and share while making love. An engaging foreplay is also a certified way to reduce tension, say sexologists.

Meditate And Relax

At a time when work schedule are jam-packed, a few minutes in quiet can help reduce stress. Working professionals should spend a few minutes with themselves every day. Shut your eyes for a few minutes and release stress with positive affirmations like “I’m happy” or “I’m at peace”.

Take A Break

Networking can help as much as being alone. Be in the company of happy people in order to reduce negativity. Other ways to beat stress include going for a walk, watching a movie or talking to a friend. 

Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms, Causes and more

Bipolar disorder, often known as manic-depressive disorder is related with mood swings ranging from depression to the extremity of mania. When you are feeling low, you may lose interest in certain activities and cut out from the rest of the world. When your mood’s pendulum shifts to the other side, you may feel ecstatic and full of energy. Mood swings may vary from time to time. They can happen only a few times or several times. In certain cases, bipolar depression symptoms of depression and mania can happen simultaneously.

Even though bipolar disorder is a disturbing and long-term health issue, you can always keep a tap on mood swings by following a proper treatment plan. Most of the time, bipolar disorders can be easily managed with the help of medications and psychotherapy.

Symptoms

Bipolar disorder is specified into categories each having different set of symptoms including:

• Bipolar disorder 1: Mood swings are associated with bipolar 1 disorder and can cause immense loss in relationships, jobs and studies. Freaking attacks can be extreme and treacherous.
• Bipolar disorder 2: As compared to bipolar 1 disorder, bipolar 2 disorder is less extreme. You can occasionally suffer from frustration, irritability but largely you can carry on your day-to-day activities without much of a hassle. Instead of suffering from intense mania, you suffer from hypomania- a less severe form of mania. In this disorder, duration of depression lasts longer than duration of hypomania.
• Cyclothymic disorder: Cyclothymic disorder is a lighter form of bipolar disorder. With cyclothymia, depression and hypomania can be troublesome but mood swings can be easily managed as they are with other types of bipolar disorders.

The precise symptoms of bipolar disorder differ from individual to individual. For some people, depression can cause much worries, for other people maniac situations are main worries. Symptoms of hypomania and depression can occur together. This is called mixed episode.

Listed below are some of the signs that Maniac Phase show:

• Poor judgment
• Fast speech
• Behavior becomes aggressive
• Frequent altercations
• Decreased sleep
• Use of drugs or alcohol
• Regular absence from work
• Frustration
• Reduced performance at work  

Signs and symptoms of distressing phase of bipolar disease:

• Sleep issues
• Tiredness
• Despair
• Difficulty in concentration
• Low appetite
• Felling cut out from the world
• Anxiety problems

Causes

The precise cause of bipolar disorder is still unknown. However, there are certain factors believed to be associated with the disease:

• Patients with bipolar disease tend to develop physical changes in the brain. How these changes happen and why they appear, is unsure.
• Unevenness in the brain chemicals plays an important role in causing bipolar disorder and other mood disorders.
• Hormonal imbalance is also attributed to bipolar disorder.
• Bipolar disorder is seen more in people who have inherited this disease from a sibling or parent. 

Risk Factors

Factors that may increase the development of bipolar disorder are:

• Someone in the relation carrying the bipolar disorder gene.
• Taking high levels of stress.
• Inadequate drug intake.
• Early age, especially early 20s. 

When to see a psychiatrist

When you start experiencing symptoms of depression, stress or hypomania, see your psychiatrist immediately. Bipolar disorder does not heal itself. Getting help from a medical service provider will do a great deal managing your symptoms.