There’s nothing worse than feeling a shooting pain through your spine and wondering if the misery will ever go away. Back pain can affect just about every area of your life.  From your productivity at work, to your social life, no one wants to feel pain when they’re trying to do their day-to-day activities. If you start to feel back pain on a regular basis, then you likely want to fix the problem as soon as possible. If you’re not, here are some of the most likely reasons why you have back pain, and what you can do about it. 

You Don’t Lift Properly 

If you have been lifting heavy items recently, whether you’re renovating your home, moving, or have a job that calls for lifting heavy items, then you may not have lifted correctly. When you fail to keep your back straight and carry the majority of the weight in only one area of your body rather than evenly, you can cause serious damage. When lifting, you should consider wearing a back brace, and always lift with your back, not with your knees. Above all, try to avoid lifting above fifty pounds if you can avoid it. 

You Slouch 

Slouching can start to take its toll on your back over time. Whether you’re working, or watching TV, make sure that you practice proper posture. Above all, if you’re working at a desk, make sure that your computer is the same level as your eyes so that you don’t have to lift your head up or tilt it down. 

You Need a New Mattress 

When was the last time you replaced your mattress? If it’s been longer than a decade, then you might seriously want to consider upgrading. A new mattress can make a world of difference in your spine health. Sleeping on too soft or too hard of a bed can lead to chronic back pain. However, it’s no secret that a new mattress comes with a hefty price tag. Many people hesitate to buy a new one because it doesn’t fit into their budget. However, it’s well worth the investment if you want to improve your back pain. 

You Need to Lose Weight 

If you’re carrying around extra weight, then it can start to lead to back pain. Our bodies weren’t made to carry over a certain amount of weight all day long. So, you might want to consider checking with your doctor about what a healthy weight is for you. If you’re considered overweight, or even obese, then you may want to start exploring ways to lose weight. Hopefully, this has been a useful resource for anyone looking to identify their back pain. While you may experience occasional back pain, chronic pain shouldn’t half to be something that you endure.  

As much as we might like to believe that our bodies will last forever, the truth is that we all get older.  Part of aging means our body starts to change. Things start to move slower, parts of your body are less efficient than they used to be, and sometimes you get wrinkles in places you didn’t know you could be wrinkly. Make no mistake about it however, there are plenty of good things that come along with age too— like experience.  

Rather than resisting age, we should embrace it. One of the best ways to embrace it is to anticipate the changes that will arise. By preparing yourself for what’s ahead of you, you’ll be better equipped to handle the challenges that come with aging. Take a look at some of the most common things that start to happen to your body as you get older. 

Your Hearing Starts to Fade  

Most people’s hearing starts to fade after a certain age. Whether you used to listen to loud music or not, your ears are one of the first things that start to go.  As many as one out of three people over 65 suffer from hearing loss. So, it’s important that you try to protect your ears as much as possible when you’re younger to avoid damage. It may not seem like a big deal in your younger years, however, when you’re older and have trouble hearing and are required to wear a hearing aid, you might feel differently.

Your Hair Grays 

Some people start going gray as young as 30— or even 20. However, most people start to get a considerable amount of grays by the time they’re over 40. Gray hairs are simply a part of life and are in relation to the amount of melanin that your body produces. As you get older, your body’s melanin production decreases, resulting in gray hairs. 

Your Eyesight Weakens 

You’ll probably start noticing at a certain age that you have to squint to read. There is no shame in buying reading glasses! Just like your skin ages, so do your eyeballs. Although you can’t maintain 20/20 vision forever, you can take precautions like going to the eye doctor for regular checkups, and protecting your eyes from the sun and bright screens. The more you can protect your eyes when you’re younger, the less your eyesight will deteriorate when you’re older. 

You Lose Muscle 

Muscle loss is an inevitable part of aging. It’s important that you engage in some kind of strength training to ensure that you keep your body in good shape even when your muscles start to deteriorate.  By preparing yourself for the changes and leading a healthy lifestyle you’ll be equipped to embrace aging with grace!