We all live our lives with constant regulations and adjustments in order to maintain our good health. Parents enforce guidelines in the household to make sure the whole unit is living a lifestyle that is well. That said, as many things there are to look out for, there are also certain things that often go overlooked and slip past the radar.
This doesn’t mean you need to live in a paranoid way, but it’s good to know some things that can affect your whole family’s health more than you realize.
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Dirty vents and ducts
If you ever notice that you or your family members are getting a bout of the sniffles a lot, you’re getting sore throats, or you have a lot of symptoms that stem from allergies, it may be a case of dirty venting and ducts in your house. Of course, you’ll want to rule out seasonal causes and some other sicknesses first but if you think there’s no particular reason and yet the household members suffer from that plight, it could definitely be an all too common case of dirty ducts.
Professional duct cleaning service is fairly accessible, so it would be wise to look into it to make sure you are not getting a build-up of pollen, dander, dirt, molds, and other allergens that could be affecting everyone from ductwork that is unmaintained.
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Bringing cellphones or similar gadgets into bed
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In recent times, it’s become quite a norm to bring a phone, tablet, or even laptop with you when you get to bed so you can get comfortable and sort of lull yourself to sleep while scrolling through some things or watching a clip online. The unfortunate truth is that medical experts don’t recommend doing so at all, since it actually affects your sleep pattern in a bad way and impacts your brain health. Scrolling through your device still engages your brain so it is actually delaying your sleep and when you do fall asleep, your brain stays overactive instead of relaxed. On top of that, the blue light from the screen actually ruins your vision and suppresses the hormone melatonin, which is in charge of controlling your sleep-wake cycle.
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Over-isolation
Feelings of isolation may be at a definite high after the spread of COVID-19, enforcing social distancing and home lockdowns throughout the world. Even if you’re with family, it can feel suffocating after a prolonged period especially because the circumstances are imposed and rather stressful. Not only can it feel lonely, but it can cause impaired executive functions, decrease brain activity, and contribute to depression. It’s important to find ways to engage and remain socially connected safely in order to stay healthy without sacrificing other important aspects of well-being.
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Poor indoor air quality
You may not want to keep your windows and doors open for safety purposes and because of the idea that you don’t really want the outside mingling in with your secure and regulated indoor space. However, it’s actually important to maintain proper ventilation and regularly aerate your place so that you can have good indoor air quality. The bad air inside can even be worse than what’s outside.
Irritants and pollutants are in high quantity in the house and can affect both respiratory functions and mood. Without cleaning, properly using the HVAC, and ventilating, you are stuck with particles and gases that can irritate your body in various ways. It’s especially dangerous if you have anyone with asthma or tendencies toward allergic rhinitis. It can also affect the temperature regulation you have, making the space stuffier and less comfortable to breathe in than it has to be.
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Overly restrictive diets
Managing your diet well is important throughout your entire life to stay healthy and prevent the development of chronic ailments and severe diseases. Diet fads come and go, and there are always new regulations on what is or isn’t good for people to consume regularly. While it’s good to keep a guideline so that people don’t get too much or too little of anything, sometimes people tend to be restrictive about things they believe to be “bad”.
For instance, many individuals cut out fats and carbs from their diet completely under the idea that this will promote better health and wellness. However, there are actually good fats that the body still needs in order to properly function. While it’s important to limit consumption at a healthy level, completely nixing it carries its own set of problems. On top of that, there are healthier resources for carbohydrates. It’s particularly important to have enough carbs for people who need a lot of energy, like physically active adults and growing children.
If you weren’t particularly aware of these concerns, it’s alright because they are the kind to slip past easily. Now that you’ve got it all, though, make sure to address these concerns before they create any further health issues.
