Laziness

Laziness (also called indolence) is a disinclination to activity or exertion despite having the ability to do so. Laziness is an existent part of this world. People have all been lazy at some point of their life or another. Laziness is a feeling of not doing anything. Do not get it confused with tiredness it is a completely different thing. When you are feeling tired, it is your body that feels tired, but when you are feeling lazy, it is when you mentally fail to get up and do something. The main cause of laziness is lack of motivation, when you don’t feel like doing anything. This may be because of pressure initiated by your fellow human beings or the fact that you are completely absorbed into the world of entertainment technology. Lack of motivation would lead us relying on technology, therefore, we would become more lazier.

 

Causes Of Laziness

 

The factors that are responsible for laziness and lack of action-taking in most people are:

 

1. Distraction

• Anything external that prevents you from taking action qualifies as a distraction. Common examples of distractions are social networking websites, games, TV, etc.
• These things get in the way and prevent you from doing the things you want to do.
• When people believe they are multitasking they are just switching between the various tasks that they have on their plate. Your brain is basically a single channel processor, so you have to switch off one task to do another and then switch back.
• People try to multitask in their ‘busy’ lives, as they will start on a task and then a tweet arrive that they feel they have to answer or a Facebook message, etc. We are our own worst enemies is this area as we feel we need to stay connected all the time.
• Modern multitasking is a terrible cause of distraction as it puts too many different things in front of us at once.

2. Procrastination 

• Procrastination is a psychological cause of laziness that basically means you put off things you need to do. This might sound somewhat similar to distraction, but the difference lies in the fact that procrastination is an internal factor.
• It comes from within your mind and can be caused by various factors like fearing a negative outcome, or not being able to find a starting point.
• When one is overwhelmed with things to do, the brain tends to slow down. The person convinces themselves that they simply cannot do it. When one is convinced that the task at hand is too much for them, they see no reason to even start hence entertaining the idea of laziness.

 3. Low energy

• A common source of laziness is simply being drained.
• Even small changes can lead to an impact on your energy levels that you might not notice immediately.
• Fewer hours of sleep or lower quality sleep can mean you start each day with less energy.

4. Lack of motivation

• Every project usually begins with inspiration. However, if you’re working with the same tasks for months, some of the initial motivation for starting might be gone. Your big plans get replaced with smaller frustrations and it can be hard to find the motivation to keep going. 
• You don’t like the work. You can’t see a long-term vision from the work. You can’t find a reason to be productive. This is a genuine reason to be in a slump.

5. Lifestyle issues

• For a number of people the cause of their laziness can be identified by poor nutrition. Again, today’s lifestyle drives people to take quick snacks and takeaway foods that over time can lead to us feeling run down, or being overweight.
• These areas, like poor diet, lack of the right vitamins and minerals, and insufficient exercise leave you with little energy that also contributes to your general feeling of laziness.
• If you have an unhealthy diet like junk food and sugary snacks/drinks that lead to hormone or insulin spikes, then you will probably feel lazy because of them.
• Staying up late doing things that are not important at all, such as chatting on social media, watching movies and texting. These things tend to consume too much of your time. They might prevent you from doing what really matters.

6. Irresponsibility

• Irresponsible people are lazy. A perfect example of this is people who hire others to do tasks that they can do but don’t want to for instance nannies, gardeners, personal assistants. Having everything done for you makes you lazy and disabled.

7. Indecisiveness

• Life is all about the decisions you make. Some people’s minds are never made up or they can’t decide, and this can lead to indecision or laziness. You might start thinking about things to do in the morning and by noon, you still haven’t decided yet. This means that you have wasted half a day. By the time you decide, there isn’t enough time left to do it. This is a wasted day and the fact that no chore or duty.

 How To Overcome Laziness

• Every time you start being lazy, stand back and do a little assessment of what's really been happening. Laziness is generally a symptom and not the problem itself. Are you tired, overwhelmed, afraid, hurting, or just plain uninspired and stuck. Most likely, the issue is smaller than you think, and you can get past it more easily than you realize.
• Whatever it is that is holding you back, do your best to unearth it. In most cases, it'll be one single specific problem or detail. Finding the cause is the only way you can actually address it. Once you have addressed it, you can deal with it effectively.
• A cluttered environment clutters your mind too and leads to laziness. Ensure that your home, car, office, purse and bedroom are well organized. This will motivate you to maintain the cleanliness as well as help you relax and think more clearer.
• First off, the habit of procrastinating or postponing things reduces our chances of accomplishing. It takes our chance to achieve whatever we desire to reach. In order to overcome procrastination, it is very helpful to split tasks, which look at first glance impossible or very difficult, into sub tasks that you can perform one after the other and that help you to get started.
• Lack of self worth breeds laziness, believe in yourself and traits of laziness will disappear. Just like any other person, you deserve better things, chances and life. Listen to inspirational speakers, read motivational books and surround yourself with positive people. This way, you will want only the best for yourself hence work harder at achieving the best.
• Working without a plan is like shooting an arrow at no particular target. It will land anywhere. Start your day with specific targets, guided by a timetable. Write down the things that you need to do and focus on beating deadlines. When you get used to this you will experience more results, become organized and laziness will become a thing of the past. Get a day planner, diary, timetable and organizers to help you plan better.
• Breaking down tasks into small steps helps us to reduce the pressure of deadlines and will keep us motivated to perform these tasks one after the other in a relaxed way. Once you have completed one sub task you can tell yourself that you´re on a roll and that you will soon have finished the next sub tasks as well.
• It is important to get started with the task you want to perform in order to fight laziness effective. An effective trick that helps you doing so is to start with the simple things first that will slowly but surely break your inner resistance.
• Eat healthily. Junk food doesn't give your body the nutrients it needs to be active. A body lacking in energy can easily cause you to feel lazy and apathetic. Proper diet makes our body healthy and active.
• The benefits of exercise are innumerable. It gets your blood flowing, your metabolism up, and your body in an energized state.
• Doing meditation can help reduce laziness by improving your level of alertness and your awareness of the present moment as you pay attention to your breathing, posture and five senses, as well as your capacity to control and focus your thoughts, emotions and level of positive energy.
• One of the things holding you back from success is distraction. It’s just too easy in our age of 24/7 connectivity to get distracted by text messages, social media, news sites, or videos on YouTube.
• Eliminating distractions from your life will have one of the biggest impacts on your ability to get stuff done and kick procrastination to the curb.
• Start by using a tool like "Focal Filter" to block sites that are distracting you from your work. If there are only a few websites you need to visit to complete any one task, then block everything else until you get it done.

Conclusion

Most of the people who complain about being lazy can relate to  some extent with the causes mentioned above. It isn’t actually that difficult to stop procrastinating and overcome laziness. It just takes the consistent application of proven methods. By identifying the factors that affect you, you can then take the appropriate steps to eliminate or minimize laziness.

 

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the measure of the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body. Blood pressure varies depending on the situation, activity, and disease states, and is regulated by the nervous and endocrine systems. Normal resting blood pressure for an adult is approximately 120/80 mm Hg.

           Disorders of blood pressure control include high blood pressure and low blood pressure. Blood pressure that is pathologically higher than the normal range is hypertension. The range for hypertension is approximately 140-159 over 90-99. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and contributes to hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, and to the development of heart failure. Blood pressure that is too low is known as hypotension. Some people have a blood pressure level that is lower than normal. A low blood pressure reading is having a level that is 90/60mmHg, or lower. Usually, having low blood pressure is not a cause for concern. However, sometimes your blood pressure can drop to a point where you may feel faint or dizzy.

 

Causes of high and low blood pressure:

 

Causes of high blood pressure :

The exact causes of high blood pressure are not known, but several factors and conditions may play a role in its development, which includes:-

• Unhealthy diet
• Too much salt in the diet
• Lack of physical activity
• Too much smoking and alcohol consumption
• Stress
• Family history of high blood pressure
• Chronic kidney disease
• Adrenal and thyroid disorders.

Causes of low blood pressure :

Some of the causes of low blood pressure include:

• Standing for a long time
• Not drinking enough fluids (dehydration)
• Health problems such as thyroid disease, severe infection, bleeding in the intestines, or heart problems.
• Trauma, such as major bleeding or severe burns.
• Getting up after you sit or lie down. This can cause a quick drop in blood pressure called orthostatic hypotension.

Symptoms of high and low blood pressure

 

Symptoms of high blood pressure:

High blood pressure usually causes no symptoms and high blood pressure often is labeled "the silent killer." People who have high blood pressure typically don't know it until their blood pressure is measured. People with high blood pressure may develop:-

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Nausea and vomiting
• Chest pain and shortness of breath.

Symptoms of low blood pressure: 

Symptoms to watch for low blood pressure include:-

• Feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded or faint
• Having a fast or irregular heartbeat
• Feeling more thirsty than usual
• Being confused, tired and weak
• Having cold, clammy skin
• Breathing very fast. 

If you have any of the above symptoms of high or low blood pressure, consult your doctor immediately and start the medication.

 

Natural ways to prevent high blood pressure

 

If you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you might be worried about taking medication to bring your numbers down. Lifestyle plays an important role in treating your high blood pressure. If you successfully control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you may reduce the need for medication. Here are some lifestyle changes you can make to lower your blood pressure and keep it down.  

 

1. Exercise regularly

• Regular physical activity for at least 30 to 60 minutes, can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). And it doesn't take long to see a difference. If you haven't been active, increasing your exercise level can lower your blood pressure within just a few weeks.
• Hypertensive patients who went for fitness walks at a brisk pace, lowered pressure by almost 8 mm Hg. Exercise helps the heart use oxygen more efficiently, so it doesn't work as hard to pump blood. Get a vigorous cardio workout of at least 30 minutes regularly.
• Slow breathing and meditative practices such as yoga, and tai chi decrease stress hormones, which elevate renin, a kidney enzyme that raises blood pressure. Try 5 minutes in the morning and at night. Inhale deeply and expand your belly. Exhale and release all of your tension.
• Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program. Your doctor can help determine whether you need any exercise restrictions. Even moderate activity for 20 minutes at a time, such as walking, jogging and light strength training, can help.
• Avoid being a "weekend warrior." Trying to squeeze all your exercise in on the weekends to make up for weekday inactivity isn't a good strategy. Those sudden bursts of activity could actually be risky.

2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet

• Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 14 mm Hg. This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.
• Loading up on potassium-rich fruits and vegetables is an important part of any blood pressure-lowering program. Aim for potassium levels of 2,000 to 4,000 mg a day. The top sources of potassium-rich produce includes sweet potatoes, tomatoes, orange juice, potatoes, bananas, kidney beans, peas, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and dried fruits such as prunes and raisins.
• Reduce the amount of sodium content in your diet. Even a small reduction of salt in your diet can reduce blood pressure by 2 to 8 mm Hg. Avoid processed foods like potato chips, frozen or preserved foods, and outside junk foods.
• Add more foods rich in calcium and magnesium to your diet. The top sources of calcium and magnesium rich foods include white beans, yogurt, banana, kiwi fruit, peaches, broccoli, red bell pepper, sweet potato, avocado etc.  
• Blueberries, as well as raspberries and strawberries, contain natural compounds called anthocyanins that protect against hypertension, according to a recent British and American study of about 157,000 men and women published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
• Having a bowl of cereal, especially whole-grain, high-fiber cereals like oatmeal, oat squares, bran flakes or shredded wheat, can reduce your chance of developing high blood pressure, Harvard University researchers recently found.
• Drinking a glass of beet juice can lower blood pressure within just a few hours, according to a Queen Mary University of London study published last year in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension. The nitrate in the juice has the same effect as taking a nitrate tablet, the researchers found. Other nitrate-rich foods include spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots etc.
• Eating a one-ounce square of dark chocolate daily can help lower blood pressure, especially in people who already have hypertension, according to Harvard researchers. Dark chocolate is high in flavonoids, natural compounds that cause dilation of the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.

3. Limit the alcohol you drink

• Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. In small amounts, it can potentially lower your blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm Hg. But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol.
• If you don't normally drink alcohol, you shouldn't start drinking as a way to lower your blood pressure. If you drink more than moderate amounts of it, alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points.

4. Avoid smoking

• On top of all the other dangers of smoking, the nicotine in tobacco products can raise your blood pressure by 10 mm Hg or more for up to an hour after you smoke. Smoking throughout the day means your blood pressure may remain constantly high.
• Inhaling smoke from others also puts you at risk of health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease.

5. Reduce your stress

• Stress or anxiety can temporarily increase blood pressure. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Once you know what's causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress.
• If you can't eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Take breaks for deep-breathing exercises. Get a massage or take up yoga or meditation or listen to soft music.

Natural ways to prevent low blood pressure

Depending on the reason for your low blood pressure, you may be able to take certain steps to help reduce or even prevent the symptoms. Here are some suggestions :

1. Drink less alcohol and more water

• Alcohol is dehydrating and can lower blood pressure, even if you drink in moderation. Water, on the other hand, combats dehydration and increases blood volume.

2. Follow a balanced, healthy diet

• Get all the nutrients you need for good health by focusing on a variety of foods, including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean chicken and fish.
• If your doctor suggests using more salt, but you don't like a lot of salt on your food, try using natural soy sauce or adding dry soup mixes for dips and dressings.

3. Go slowly when changing body positions

• You may be able to reduce the dizziness and lightheadedness that occur with low blood pressure by moving slowly from a prone to a standing position.
• Before getting out of bed in the morning, breathe deeply for a few minutes and then slowly sit up before standing.
• Sleeping with the head of your bed slightly elevated also can help fight the effects of gravity.
• If you begin to get symptoms while standing, cross your thighs in a scissors fashion and squeeze, or put one foot on a ledge or chair and lean as far forward as possible. These actions will encourage blood to flow from your legs to your heart.

4. Eat small, low-carb meals

• To help prevent blood pressure from dropping sharply after meals, eat small portions several times a day and limit high-carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread.
• Your doctor also may recommend drinking caffeinated coffee or tea with meals to temporarily raise blood pressure. But because caffeine can cause other problems, check with your doctor before drinking more caffeinated beverages.

5. Use more salt

• Experts usually recommend limiting the amount of salt in your diet because sodium can raise blood pressure, sometimes dramatically. For people with low blood pressure, that can be a good thing.
• But because excess sodium can lead to heart failure, especially in older adults, it's important to check with your doctor before increasing the salt in your diet.

6. Consider wearing compression stockings

• The same elastic stockings commonly used to relieve the pain and swelling of varicose veins may help reduce the pooling of blood in your legs.

7. Medications

• Several medications, either used alone or together, can be used to treat low blood pressure that occurs when you stand up (orthostatic hypotension).
• The drug fludrocortisone is often used to treat this form of low blood pressure. This drug helps boost your blood volume, which raises blood pressure.
• Doctors often use the drug midodrine (Orvaten) to raise standing blood pressure levels in people with chronic orthostatic hypotension. It works by restricting the ability of your blood vessels to expand, which raises blood pressure.

 Conclusion
Medications aren't enough to control high blood pressure and low blood pressure. Sometimes changing your lifestyle and following natural ways can make a lot of difference. Make sure the changes you choose to make are ones that you can continue, and don't be disappointed if you don't see results immediately. Continue the medicines prescribed by the doctor and follow some natural ways to control blood pressure.