Always Feeling Sick? 10 Unexpected Things That Harm Your Health

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When your throat starts to itch or your stomach gurgles uncomfortably, it typically ruins the day. You’ll have to reschedule things you were looking forward to if you feel sick and don’t want to spread germs to others. The good news is that your symptoms might not always indicate you have a virus. Check out a few things that can harm your health to start feeling better in the long term.

1. An Irregular Sleep Routine

Night owls tend to be more creative and focused when the moon rises among the stars. You might love using the wee hours to finish household chores, work on your laptop or do your favorite hobbies. Even if staying awake is tempting, try falling asleep at a consistent time every night. Research shows a healthy sleep routine could strengthen your immune system, so you might get sick more often if your brain doesn’t get enough rest.

2. Old Makeup Products

Every time a beauty product touches your face, it contacts microscopic organisms on your skin. Bacteria can grow inside lip gloss tubes, mascara wands and even eyeliner brushes. If you’ve used the same cosmetics for the last three months, consider replacing everything to minimize your risk of illness. 

3. Poor Indoor Air Quality

You might rarely think about your HVAC unit, but it could be the reason behind your frequent sore throat symptoms. Cold, dry air can worsen your health in several ways, including eye, sinus and skin irritation. Keep your humidity levels between 40% and 60% to minimize these issues.

4. Mold in Your Coffee Machine

Cleaning your coffee machine does more than make your morning java taste better. The practice also keeps mold spores at bay. They collect within the water reservoir if you don’t empty and wash it regularly. Schedule a reminder notification on your phone to add this routine chore to your weekly activities. You could be surprised how much better you feel when you make your daily pick-me-up with fresh, clean water.

5. Constant High Stress

You might have a fast-paced job or juggle caregiving responsibilities at home. No matter what causes your stress, it may harm your health if you don’t find ways to soothe your nervous system. If left at intense levels, stress can cause headaches and heart disease, in addition to other chronic conditions.

Change your routine or delegate some of your responsibilities to get immediate help. Over time, you can also explore stress-relieving hobbies to simultaneously manage your mental and physical health.

6. Eating Hidden Sugar

People know they’ll feel sick after gorging themselves on Halloween candy, but added sugars in everyday foods can have the same effect. Check the nutrition labels on your typical groceries to see how much sugar is in your meals and snacks. You’ll find this information under the “Added Sugars” portion of the label. Sweeteners are common preservatives in foods, but they still impact your blood sugar when you get too much daily.

Opting for sweetener-free alternatives, like no-sugar-added pasta sauce, may help you feel better because you’ll spike your blood sugar levels less often. You might even discover new foods you love while exploring a low-sugar diet.

7. Chronic Dehydration

If coffee and soda are your standard daily beverages, you might constantly feel ill because your body needs water. Dehydration may cause symptoms such as low blood pressure, exhaustion and dry mucous membranes in places like your sinuses.

Improve your daily water intake by carrying a reusable canteen wherever you go. You could also enjoy more water-based foods like cucumbers, lettuce or zucchini. Remember to increase your water intake during more physically active days as well. Your dehydration will worsen if you don’t replace the body fluids you lose while sweating.

8. Unknown Food Allergies

Allergies don’t only cause breathing problems. They can also upset your digestive system. Ask your doctor to do a skin prick test. The results could reveal that you have mild allergic reactions to things like peanuts or wheat.

If you don’t have time for a doctor’s appointment, temporarily adjust your diet. Eliminate a single food at a time to see if your stomach problems go away. You could find the trigger ingredient and replace it with something that doesn’t typically cause allergic reactions.

A nutritionist can also provide valuable advice if you think an unknown food allergy is behind your symptoms. A consultation appointment may not cost as much as a primary health care provider visit. Talk with an expert about a temporary elimination diet to get more accurate support while figuring out which foods might make you sick.

9. An Ear Infection

If fevers and headaches affect your daily life more than anything else, you might not have the seasonal flu. The culprit could be an ear infection. When bacteria or viruses enter the middle of your ears, they can inflame the tissue and cause fluid buildup that triggers headaches. Your immune system fights this by raising your body temperature.

If your doctor diagnoses you with an ear infection, they’ll likely prescribe antibiotics to resolve it. You should also return for medical care if your fever reaches 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, as you may need a comprehensive treatment plan.

10. Toxic Relationships

Platonic and romantic relationships between two people should help both partners thrive. If your closest relationships only make you feel anxious or uncomfortable, they could be the factor behind the stress making you feel ill.

Reflect on which relationships pour back into you rather than extracting all your time and energy. When your life is full of people who love and support you, your physical health may improve because your peace of mind isn’t under constant pressure.

Start Feeling Better Every Day

You have the power to regain control over your health. See if any of these factors could influence how you feel each day. Once you identify potential triggers and learn to work around them, you’ll protect your well-being alongside your efforts to avoid viruses.