10 Ways Modern Society Affects Our Physical Health

1. Retiring

Many Americans aim to retire after working hard, but it’s not straightforward health-wise. Working a disliked job can harm mental and physical well-being, especially when only 13% enjoy their work. Even within this group, overworking can be detrimental; the average work week is 47 hours, with many working 50–59 or even more than 60 hours. Interestingly, retirement itself can lead to health issues. Retirees are 40% more likely to face clinical depression and 60% more likely to have a diagnosed physical ailment compared to working peers. Thus, the balance between work and rest is crucial for health.

2. Noise Pollution

Noise pollution, from constant background noise like traffic and machinery, is hard to avoid in today’s world. About 30 million Americans face harmful noise levels at work yearly, while others deal with its effects secondhand. This pollution can cause hearing loss, leading to communication problems, reduced work and school performance, loneliness, and depression. Beyond hearing, noise affects health directly. High noise areas correlate with elevated stress hormones, heart disease risks, high blood pressure, sleep issues, breathing problems, and cardiovascular and brain changes. Children, especially, suffer from reduced cognitive performance due to excessive noise exposure.

3. Antibiotics Can Kill Helpful Bacteria

Antibiotics, a monumental 20th-century breakthrough, have unforeseen drawbacks. Human reliance on bacteria, previously underestimated, is crucial for digestion and immune support. Unfortunately, antibiotics indiscriminately kill beneficial bacteria along with harmful ones, leading to issues like diarrhea post-treatment. New York University researchers discovered that administering antibiotics to newborn mice disrupts gut colonization, potentially predisposing them to metabolic disorders later. This suggests similar risks for human infants, including obesity and diabetes. Despite these concerns, antibiotics remain vital in medicine when used appropriately, offering unparalleled benefits amid mild side effects.

4. Suppressing Anger

Suppressing anger can harm your health by increasing stress and shortening your lifespan. Healthy anger is constructive and can be a coping mechanism. However, chronic anger expressed explosively is linked to various health issues including high blood pressure, weak immune system, strokes, cancer, heart disease, and digestive problems. Couples who suppress anger have a higher mortality rate than those who discuss their problems. Managing anger effectively is crucial for health, yet many struggle with it, leading to low self-esteem and impacting relationships, work, and mental health. Psychologists emphasize the importance of learning to deal with anger constructively.

5. Phones And Tablets

Using smartphones and tablets before bed can disrupt sleep patterns significantly. Harvard Medical School found that using an iPad before sleep made it harder for people to fall asleep and reduced REM sleep, leading to morning drowsiness. This is due to the light emitted by these devices, which delays melatonin release by about 90 minutes, confusing our internal clocks. A PEW Research study revealed that 61% of Americans aged 18-29 keep their phones next to their beds to stay connected overnight. If you need tech before bed, consider using devices like the original Kindle that don’t emit light.

6. Lack Of Sleep

In our fast-paced world, many people struggle to get sufficient sleep, a concerning trend among researchers. Men with chronic insomnia sleeping less than six hours per night face a higher risk of premature death compared to regular sleepers. A study revealed that 51.1% of male insomniacs died within 14 years, contrasting with 9.1% of regular sleepers. Interestingly, this trend is less pronounced in women, possibly because men often experience more severe insomnia. Insomnia doesn't directly cause death but can lead to long-term health issues, including irreversible brain damage due to neuron loss. Additionally, weekend naps don’t compensate for weekday sleep deprivation.

7. Climate Change

Global climate change exacerbates health risks for humans. Warming oceans lead to more toxic algae blooms like Alexandrium catenella, contaminating seafood and causing illnesses ranging from vomiting to paralysis. Drier conditions increase dust blown into oceans, promoting the growth of harmful bacteria like Vibrio, resulting in an 85% increase in seafood poisoning since 1996. Urban expansion strains sewer systems, risking water contamination. In Milwaukee, just 4.3 centimeters of rain can overwhelm sewers. With climate change escalating flooding, waterborne diseases may resurge in developed nations.

8. Added Sugar Is Worse Than You Realized

Excessive added sugar poses serious health risks beyond just weight gain. While glucose is essential, the modern diet has seen a surge in sugar intake, largely from processed foods. The average American consumes 27.5 teaspoons of added sugar daily, affecting the body’s natural satiety signals over time. Historically, as fat concerns rose in the 1970s, manufacturers substituted fat with sugar, leading to increased global sugar consumption. This trend links sugar to various health issues, including high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, premature aging, dementia, brain damage, poor metabolism, liver damage, and potential DNA damage. Some experts even liken sugar's harm to alcohol and tobacco.

9. Light Pollution

Light pollution is prevalent in urban areas, preventing many from experiencing true darkness. This “sky glow” is caused by artificial light scattering off water droplets, creating a dome of light over cities. Even at home, electronic devices with constant lights disrupt our natural light-dark cycle, impacting our health. Physicist Eric Vandernoot explains that excessive evening light is linked to health issues like diabetes, obesity, depression, and cancer.

Sleep patterns have also been altered. Historically, people slept in two four-hour periods with a wakeful interval in between. Research suggests people revert to this pattern without light pollution. While blackout curtains can help, streetlights remain a concern. Interestingly, turning off streetlights has been shown to reduce crime rates, though this may not comfort those navigating dark streets.

10. Feeling Guilty Can Damage Your Health

Feeling guilty about not sticking to New Year’s resolutions can negatively impact health. While guilt can motivate positive changes, excessive guilt can harm your immune system. Hull University researchers discovered that people feeling guilty about indulging in their favorite activities had reduced levels of immunoglobulin A in their saliva. Thus, those feeling guilty are more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. Interestingly, this means that your “guilty pleasure” might be why you catch colds more frequently than someone who enjoys without guilt. Nowadays, moderation is crucial, as modern lifestyles may not be as health-friendly as we assume.