The Habits of Health Transformational System recognizes that all aspects of our health are interconnected. A positive change in one area will ripple into others, a phenomenon we call the Halo Effect. If you exercise during the day, you are more likely to sleep better. If your sleep improves, you think more clearly and make better choices the following day. When we make better choices, we treat ourselves and the people around us with the respect we all deserve.
And those Halo Effects are numerous, but many of them are not obvious.
For example, earlier this week I shared an article about how hearing aids are becoming more accessible. While no one wants to lose their hearing, this part of our health is often underestimated. We don’t go for checkups. We don’t wear hearing protection in loud situations. We ignore the ringing in our ears, even when our hearing is slowly deteriorating.
But what does this mean for the rest of your health?
Patients with hearing loss often report feeling isolated and disconnected – the area of Habits of Healthy Relationships. When you can’t hear a conversation, you can’t participate, so even in a room full of people, you can feel completely cutoff from the connections being made in those moments.
If you or a loved one has gone through this, you might also be familiar with how that isolation affects a person’s mood. Not hearing a conversation can create frustration and anger, beginning a spiral that pushes both people and opportunities away. Address it, and the trend reverses, opening many more doors for meaningful connections with loved ones and a more engaged mind in general.
Hearing is not the only area of health that can be tempting to ignore. You should also be diligent about the following:
- Vision health. Like hearing, your sight connects you to the world. Get regular checkups and wear safety glasses in the appropriate situations.
- Dental health. The health of your teeth and gums have been associated with brain health and heart health, not to mention the confidence that a big smile can bring.
- Skin health. We often talk about protecting ourselves from harmful UV rays, but also don’t forget to talk to your healthcare provider about what to look for as your skin changes and as it ages. Early detection of skin cancers, for example, can dramatically increase our longevity.
- Mental health. Your mind is your greatest gift, so take care of it. Stay physically and mentally active, practice mindfulness, and don’t be afraid to reach out for support from friends and professionals.
My goal here is not to scare you. It’s actually the opposite. You have so many opportunities to build Habits of Health that benefit every aspect of your life, and I don’t want you to miss out on any of them.