(Akiit.com) Does this sound like you? You have a healthy and balanced diet, exercise regularly and in general, try to be the best version of yourself that you possibly can.
Despite our best efforts, many of us make seemingly small mistakes every day without even realising, which could be getting in the way of our health. Here are four of the most common to pay attention to, to ensure you’re taking the best possible care of yourself.
Not getting enough sleep
It is recommended that adults, on average, should get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for optimal health and brain function. A lack of sleep can cause a significant risk in developing health issues including various diseases due to a weakened immune system, obesity and even
early death. Sleep is necessary for our bodies to function and work properly, and even though we are resting as we are sleeping, our body is hard at work, releasing various hormones that help with:
Memory retention
A healthy and functioning immune system
Balanced hunger levels
Getting a good night’s rest comes down to habit as much as exercising and diet and unfortunately, you cannot make up for lost sleep, even with day-time naps. Put getting a full 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep at the top of your priority if you are serious about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. While you shouldn’t beat yourself up if you have a late night every now and then, chronic sleep deprivation is a health mistake that can lead to serious health problems.
Not wearing enough SPF
When the sun comes out, and the weather heats up, most of us want to soak up those rays and spend time outside. Unfortunately, most of us also tend to completely neglect our skin by not wearing enough SPF, causing skin damage that can potentially lead to cancer such as melanoma. Make sure to invest in a good quality, high factor SPF for your face as well as your body, and apply it even on days that aren’t particularly hot and sunny to always keep your skin protected.
Blasting music through your headphones
One that we are probably all guilty of from time to time, many of us have developed a habit of turning the volume right up when listening to our music. When this is via our headphones, listening to music on full blast could lead to some severe hearing or hearing aid issues. Even though it can be tempting to turn the volume up when listening to music to hear a song that we love better, especially when outside on busy and loud streets and public transport, remember to take care of your ears and give them a break. If others can hear your music, then it’s a tell-tale sign that you have the volume up too high.
Putting off going to a doctor
While no-one is saying that you should turn into a hypochondriac and go running off to the doctor’s surgery at every twinge or pain, it is essential not to ignore and cover-up recurring aches and pains with painkillers. If you are experiencing headaches, stomach issues or other pains and aches on a constant basis, it is important to see your local GP to eliminate things like blood clots, tumours, strokes and other health conditions. In many cases, if there is something wrong, then receiving an early diagnosis is the key to resolving health concerns without it developing into anything serious further down the line.
Staff Writer; Sherry Jackson