There are many factors that can have a negative effect on our health and it is important that we are aware of these. The 5 factors are Stress, LIfe Events, Loneliness, Economic Circumstances and Risk Behaviours.

There are many ways in which we can support ourselves in order to have a healthier lifestyle.

EXCERCISE  REGULARLY                                                                                     Having a healthy lifestyle requires at least a little exercise every week. it is recommended that you should engage in 30-60 minutes of exercise at least four times per week.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE FRIENDS                           Surrounding yourself with positive people will have a positive effect on you and the way you look at things. It will also make you happier with a more positive vibe.

HAVE CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS                                                                          When people have close relationships they feel less threatened, less alone and more confident and in control. Knowing that you have someone you can rely on provides a feeling of security and hope.

SENSE OF TOUCH                                                                                                     Reaching out and receiving a hug, or even a massage can lower your blood pressure and decrease stress levels. This will make you more comfortable and a little more relaxed.

GET RID OF NEGATIVE PEOPLE FROM YOUR LIFE                           Having positive mental health is an important factor in living a healthy life. You do not need toxic people in your life who will put you down and not support you.

These are all things that we can do on a daily basis in order to support outselves in leading a healthy lifestyle wich makes us more positive for the greater good.

I scored 88 in the Holmes Rahe Inventory which puts me in the 150 points or less category. This means that I experience a relatively low amount of life changing events and am less likely to encounter with health breakdowns. I was very pleased with this score because it means that I am less stressed. Howver, being 18 years old means that I don’t have a great amount of life experience so therefore, I did not expect to receive a higher score. I have never experienced a divorce, moved house, or been fired from a job which are seen to be common stresses in life.

The signs of stress that appear to be in my life are changing school, which I used referring to moving on to University after my school time was up. This was stressful and nerve wracking for me because it was a completely new chapter in life for me and I would have to go out of mycomfort zone in order to speak to new people and make new friends. Also, taking on a loan in order to pay for and run my car can be very stressful to me. I try to combat stress by going to bed at a reasonable time so that I can get more sleep. I also try to engage in physical activity at least once or twice a week because it allows me to feel much better afterwards. Even something as simple as taking a hot bath helps me to relax and become less stressed.