Health directly depends on the daily habits that each person collects during his life. On the one hand, some of them are beneficial and promote longevity and mental health. Others, on the other hand, cause stress and problems in different body systems. One of these critical issues is a heart attack: high stress directly affects its probability (Aubrey, 2019). Therefore, even at a young age, it is crucial to develop healthy habits and eliminate unnecessary ones. This will contribute to a higher quality of life and allow people to be happier and live longer. The purpose of this paper is to identify harmful lifestyle trends and draw up a plan to change them.
The first essential aspect of human life is nutrition. I believe I am following a reasonably healthy diet. My parents help me with this: they taught me the right food from childhood, so I indeed like it. I usually have various proteins in my diet: eggs, chicken, meat, or beans. I also love vegetables and fruits and eat them regularly. I almost do not eat meals like pasta or pizza because I feel that they are too heavy for me. I rarely skip meals; thus, I usually do not feel excessively hungry.
However, I would like to get rid of some of my unhealthy habits. One of them is the need for a cup of coffee after school. This is not getting rid of hunger, but a kind of psychological reward for the work done. Undoubtedly, this can negatively affect my digestion, as the amount of sugar in this coffee is usually high. To eradicate this habit, I will have to overcome a psychological barrier. I will need to reward myself with something healthier, or not at all with food: for example, walking or shopping. Without this coffee, I will stop feeling sleepy in the late afternoon, and my insulin levels will stabilize.
Physical activity takes a vital place in my life. When I do not have enough of it, I feel more tired, bored, and even angry. I can also see negative changes in my body related to it. However, during the pandemic, this area has suffered significant deterioration. I do not have the opportunity to go out with friends and visit fitness clubs as often as before. I want to change at least the number of walks, but now the restrictions do not allow me to enjoy it fully. The result of this change would be reduced stress and higher concentration during intellectual activity.
The main stressors in my life are studies and health. A problem-focused approach is required to deal with the stress of studying. In other words, it is necessary to accept all tasks and optimize their implementation calmly. As for health, this is an area that I perceive rather emotionally: this is a fear of getting sick. Therefore, its solution must be emotion-focused. To cope with this fear, I will limit the flow of stressful information and focus more on hobbies and sports. Although usually, I work regularly on both stressors, sometimes the accumulated difficulties and anxiety do not allow me to calm down and strictly follow the plan. Nevertheless, I believe that by being determined to overcome these problems, I can get rid of them and become a more prosperous and mentally healthy person.
Reference
Aubrey, A. (2019). High stress drives up your risk of a heart attack. Here’s how to chill out. NPR. Web.