Sleep deprivation and chronic stress are factors that can frequently make you get sick from time to time. Though lifestyle changes are sufficient to solve these problems, this isn’t always the case. Frequently getting ill can be uncomfortable as well as disruptive. Over time, it may also result in more severe complications. For this reason, it is essential to recognize the causes of frequent illness and deal with them efficiently. In this article, we discuss five common things keeping you ill and explain how to deal with them.
- Stress
For most of you, stress is part and parcel of everyday life. Nevertheless, chronic stress perseveres over time and can affect your health negatively. Over the long run, continuous stress can result in the development of various chronic health illnesses like depression and heart disease.
The symptoms of chronic stress include headaches, fatigue, irritability, difficulty sleeping, attention problems, rapid & disorganized thoughts, digestive problems, frequent infections, and illness. In order to solve chronic disease, you first need to identify and tackle the leading causes of stress. First, consider ending your existing relationship or getting a new job.
Other methods of lowering the stress levels include exercising, mindfulness meditation, a healthy diet, as well as getting medication.
- Sleep Deprivation
Sufficient sleep plays a vital role in your health. Your body uses its sleep time to rest, recover, and prepare for the next day. Failure to get sufficient sleep can interrupt this process and have consequences for the next day.
Lack of sleep can cause irritability, inability to concentrate, difficulty processing thoughts, drowsiness, microsleeps (instances where you fall asleep while awake), anxiety, and feelings of depression. Besides, sleep deprivation can lead to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system.
Thus, give yourself a regular bedtime to avoid getting ill now and then.
- Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are a combination of typical mental health problems that affects about 20% of people in the USA every year. Various types of anxiety disorders exist, but they share similar symptoms of the state of extreme panic or worry.
These anxiety disorders affect your body in many ways that contribute to recurring illness. For instance, anxiety disorders cause fatigue, sweating, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, trembling, rapid heartbeat, irritability, and shortness of breath.
If left unattended for an extended period, anxiety disorders can result in physical health complications. For instance, people with anxiety disorders possess a high risk of early death and heart diseases. Nevertheless, many treatments for anxiety disorders exist. These include talking therapies like CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). Besides, you can consider taking beta-blockers, antidepressants, or any other available medication.
- You aren’t Physically Active
Physical activity is proven to improve your immune system. It is well-studied that individuals who work out regularly have a lower chance of becoming sick. Thus, consider exercising at least fifteen minutes per day to increase your healthy lifestyle.
- You aren’t Eating Appropriately
When it comes to maintaining your health, there are specific nutrients that you should consume. You can easily get sick due to failure to consume vitamins A, D, C, Zinc, as well as Omega fatty acids. Live a healthy lifestyle by eating whole, healthy foods like vegetables and fruits.
As seen above, the lack of sleep and stress can make you ill frequently. In many cases, lifestyle changes may be enough to prevent these prevalent causes of sickness. If you keep getting sick due to an underlying condition like anxiety disorder and autoimmune disease, treating this condition may lower the frequency of becoming ill.
Living a healthy lifestyle that involves stress management, exercises, proper nutrition, and sufficient sleep can help avoid a wide range of factors that result in people becoming sick regularly.