Old age comes with numerous health consequences like the weakening of the immune system. Your body now has a delayed response to disease and heals slower than usual.
That’s why seniors need to adopt healthy habits to keep their immune systems up to par, especially at the height of the coronavirus disease spread. Now more than ever, it is crucial to prioritize your health by quitting unhealthy behaviors.
Some common senior habits that may seem harmless at first but can actually contribute to the weakening of your immune system are as follows:
1. Excessive Screen Time
Much like the Gen Zs, most seniors in assisted living homes spend an awful lot of their time buried in their gadgets. Smartphones are an excellent tool for communication and entertainment but not when used too much to the point of neglecting actual socialization and physical activity.
Spending your whole afternoon scrolling through Facebook makes you a couch potato. Sitting and laying down too much increases your risk of developing chronic health conditions like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes.
Too much screen time will turn your life into a sedentary one, thus decreasing your chances of having a long and healthy life.
In addition, excessive exposure to the blue light of gadgets can strain your eye, disrupt good sleeping habits, and even kill your mood.
2. Smoking
Unfortunately, many individuals brought their cigarette and tobacco smoking habit into their senior years.
Despite regular exercise and proper diet, smoking will impede your journey towards a healthy life. It impairs your immune system and opens up your body to many other diseases, such as:
Ï Heart and lung disease
Ï Cancer
Ï Diabetes
Ï Bronchitis and emphysema
3. Too Much Alcohol Consumption
Alcoholism often begins during the retirement years, so pay close attention to your drinking habits.
Excessive alcohol drinking will impair several vital organs in your body, mainly the liver and kidney. These two play a huge role in removing toxins and wastes from your body. Liver and kidney problems significantly weaken the immune system and can cause life-threatening consequences.
4. Staying Up Late
Sleep deprivation disrupts normal cell repair and protein generation. Your immune system will be left unprotected without these proteins, making you prone even to simple colds and flu.
Further, lack of proper sleep and rest increases your risk of developing diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases.
So, make sure to get seven to nine hours of good night’s sleep every night to maintain the strength of your immune system.
5. Neglecting Doctor’s Appointments
Seniors residing in assisted living homes have caregivers to make sure that they never skip a doctor’s appointment. But the same cannot be said for elderlies who live independently.
Despite the hassle, you should always make it a point to meet with your GP regularly. Skipping it might result in the following:
Ï The development of a chronic condition.
Ï A rapid decline in physical and mental well-being.
Ï Progression of an underlying medical condition.
All of these compromise the integrity of your immune system and leaves you vulnerable to other infectious diseases.
Stay on top of your health by partnering with your doctor or healthcare provider.
