Does it really pay to live a healthier lifestyle? Have you ever wondered what you stand to gain from eliminating a few bad habits and replacing them with more constructive ones? For example, many people smoke, drink in excess, get too little sleep, rarely exercise, eat without giving a thought to nutrition, and generally avoid thinking about how they might be able to improve their lives. No one is immune because everyone has at least a few areas that could use a little improvement. So, what are the advantages of living a generally healthier lifestyle? As it turns out, there are quite a few. Here are some of the ones that it makes sense to consider.
1. Lower Medical Expenses
It’s almost too obvious, but deserves mentioning. In fact, people who keep up on their annual medical exams, eat right, sleep enough hours each night, don’t drink alcohol excessively, don’t use tobacco products, and avoid unnecessary sources of stress tend to spend much less in the long run. It’s a sad fact that most ailments, even minor ones, can be quite costly even for people who have adequate insurance coverage. And when it comes to major incidents, like heart attacks, strokes, seizures, and surgical procedures, expenses can easily get out of hand. If you want to minimize what you spend on medical-related conditions, live prudently.
2. Low-Cost Insurance
Insurance rates tend to be lower for healthier people. But where you can really save a bundle is on life insurance, especially if you’re under the age of thirty. Carriers use all sorts of rating methods, medical exams, and statistical analysis to evaluate applicants and assign premium rates. Take a look at just about any of the major insurers’ websites and it’s apparent that non-smokers, non-obese adults get the lowest rates available.
There’s another, more subtle bonus for those who keep an eye on their physical wellbeing in that if you ever decide to sell you policy, with a life settlement, you stand to get more cash if your policy’s cash value is high. Plus, it’s a simple process. All you need to do is contact companies who are willing to purchase your policy and find out the exact cash value from Mason Financein a matter of seconds. A life settlement is a smart, efficient way to cash in your whole-life policy and receive more than its cash value but less than the death benefit amount. If you start paying on an insurance policy at a young age, and when you are in top physical shape, it’s relatively easy to build up a substantial value within ten years or so. And if you wait 20 years or more, your payoff from this kind of settlement could be significant.
3. Higher Energy and Productivity
There’s something inherently wonderful and uplifting about having the energy you need to get through a typical work day. Productivity goes up, our attitude is more positive, we’re happier with life in general, and we have the power to get a lot done when there’s the need to do so. One of the true rewards of a prudent, health-conscious way of living is physical energy. There’s evidence of this phenomenon all around. Look at the faces of the over-60 runners who compete in marathons, long-distance swimming races, and dance competitions. That’s real joy, real satisfaction written on those faces, and is maybe the best proof that clean living has its own, tangible rewards.
4. Longevity
Living longer is the holy grail for many people who strive to live a healthful life. That makes perfect sense because those additional years, instead fighting illness and generally poor health, can be ones of vigorous activity, time with grandchildren, endless weeks of interesting travel, and much more. Since the earliest days of recorded human history, human beings have struggled to live longer. Nowadays, science has given us plenty of knowledge to work with. Not only can we take specific actions to lengthen our lives, but we can be nearly certain that our final years will be well spent.
5. Emotional Stability
Try to remember what your emotional state was like the last time you were ill. Pretty terrible, right? That seems to be the case with all forms of illness; when our bodies are sick, our emotional and mental states often suffer too. When you’re down with the flu, for example, how often do your find yourself smiling and laughing? Probably never, because it’s awful to be sick. On the other hand, when we feel great, vigorous, well-rested, and energetic, our attitude tends to pick up and improve considerably. If you want long-term emotional stability, live a healthful life and you’ll almost certainly get your wish.
6. Enjoyable Retirement Years
Most working adults retire sometime between their late fifties and late sixties. A few lucky ones stop working earlier, while a few devotees extend their professional careers into their seventies. Regardless of when you expect to hang up the gloves, it’s worth noting that it’s much easier to enjoy those carefree years if you have lived a relatively conscientious life up to your sixties. Whether we want to admit it or not, hard living and doing too many things to excess can take a toll on the body, mind, and spirit. Too many folks reach their retirement years with no energy left to do much of anything. What’s the answer? Perhaps part of it is in the medical community’s frequent admonition to take care of our bodies.
7. Peace of Mind
What’s the value of peace of mind? For many people who are still young and working hard at their jobs, they might not have an answer to that question. But most retirees know full well that peace of mind is perhaps the most important of all the intangible assets we possess. With it, it’s possible to sleep soundly every night, take satisfaction in the knowledge that you’ll live a long, happy existence even after you reach the golden years, and know that you can continue to enjoy the company of loved ones in good health and happiness.
