How living in the city is harmful to your health

How dangerous is life in the city?

Near 75% percent Russians are city dwellers. And, judging by research, they take risks with your health. After all, people living in the suburbs experience depression, psychosis and other diseases much less frequently.

Stress

Crowded public transport, heavy traffic on the roads, lack of time to rest. These elements of city life cause stress. If you experience it constantly, a person may begin suffer from sleep disorders, anxiety disorders and depression.

Stress also affects physical health. Here are the problems you can solve collide:

• feelings of fear, sadness, anxiety, numbness, or frustration;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases and mental disorders;
• changes in appetite;
• headache;
• stomach problems,
• skin rash;
• possible dependencies due to attempts cope with with tension using alcohol, nicotine and other substances;
• insomnia;
• decreased concentration and memory impairment.

Polluted air

Health harm fine particulate matter PM2.5 contained in the air. These are tiny pieces of soot, asphalt, and car tires.

Chronic exposure to particles causes respiratory diseases and worsens existing chronic diseases. For example, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The risk of developing lung cancer also increases.

In addition, polluted air provokes cardiovascular diseases. A person may begin to suffer from high blood pressure or have a heart attack.

Inhalation of particles can cause problems with the nervous system. For example, headaches or will get worse cognitive abilities.

Despite the fact that PM2.5 emissions are gradually decreasing, their concentration still exceeds the standard established by WHO. Thus, in 2021, 97% of people living in European cities inhaled PM2.5 particles. And a year earlier, the European Environment Agency estimated that 238,000 people died prematurely due to exposure to particles.

There are no generalized data on PM2.5 concentrations in the air in Russian regions yet.

Passive lifestyle

The townspeople move little. And this can be one of the causes of obesity. Research shows that people who live in the suburbs and move more suffer from the disease less often. This means they are less likely to encounter problems caused by excess weight. For example, with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Passive lifestyle causes first rare, then chronic pain in the lower back. The reason is that weakened back and torso muscles are unable to support the spine.

Another consequence – slowdown blood circulation Because of this process, oxygen and nutrients are less accessible to organs and tissues. The result is that the person feels tired, suffers from headaches and is less able to concentrate.

Also lack of physical activity increases risk of developing depression. This happens, among other things, because sedentary work behind a monitor screen leaves very little time for sports and communication with people.

Poor nutrition and junk food

Due to lack of time, quiet lunches are replaced by snacks in cafes. A man eats a sandwich while running and returns to work. If this happens several times a month, nothing bad will happen. But if this behavior becomes a habit, then there will be problems.

How shows one study, quick snacks may lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Also, eating on the go does not promote good digestion and can result in bloating and stomach pain.

Noise

People living in the city stop noticing the loud sounds of cars, sirens, and audio advertisements. But they don’t care lead to hearing loss, tinnitus, constant fatigue and even increased pressure.

Constant exposure to noise can raise risk of developing dementia. It mainly affects older people. Symptoms include hallucinations, confusion, and difficulty finding words.

Injuries

According to the European Transport Organization, in 2019 the number of pedestrian deaths on roads amounted to 4,628. This is 20% of all deaths in road accidents. Moreover, every second victim is an elderly person over 65 years of age.

Those who drive are also in danger: 39% of driver deaths is happening in urban areas. The remaining deaths occur on highways and other places outside cities.

It is difficult to calculate exactly how many people were affected in Russian cities. Judging by traffic police statistics, for 2023 in the country happened 132,466 road accidents. Of these, 76% are in populated areas. And these include cities, urban-type settlements, and villages. There, 6,483 people died in road accidents.

How to stay healthy in the city

There are several simple rules, following which you can slightly alleviate the negative impact of the city.

Fight stress

Easier said than done, but there are a few rules that may help a little lower stress level:

• Take breaks from watching or reading the news, limit your use of social networks to a couple of times a day.
• Try meditation or calming breathing techniques.
• Avoid coping with problems using alcohol, tobacco, or psychoactive substances.
• Find time during the day to relax and, for example, take up a hobby.
• Talk to people you trust, tell them about your problems.
• Contact a psychotherapist or psychologist if you realize that you can’t cope.

Move more

At WHO recommend at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity.

To moderate intensity load include brisk walking, swimming, leisurely cycling or tennis. The heart rate increases slightly. One benchmark is the ability to speak coherently during activity, without shortness of breath or interruptions.

High load means running, playing basketball or football, and speed swimming. Breathing becomes heavy and fast, heart rate increases significantly. To pronounce a sentence, you have to pause.

Choose the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car in a distant parking lot, and walk one bus stop. If possible, take a walk during audio conferences.

Watch your diet

Don’t rule it out, but reduce in the diet fast food and other foods high in trans fats and sugar. Focus on vegetables, proteins, healthy fats. Don’t skip meals and don’t make yourself sick from hunger, as this can bring to subsequent overeating.

An example of a balanced meal is a healthy plate. Half of the daily ration should be make up vegetables, herbs and fruits. A quarter are whole grains: wheat, barley, quinoa. Another quarter is protein: fish, poultry, beans and nuts.

And don’t forget drink a sufficient amount of fluid is about 2.7 liters for women and 3.7 for men. This includes not only water, but also coffee, tea, smoothies and even soups.

Normalize sleep

Getting enough sleep varies from person to person, but the optimal amount minimum – 7 o’clock. In addition to the duration, the quality of sleep is also important. To do this you need:

• Go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time, even on weekends.
• Keep the bedroom cool and quiet.
• Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol before bed. Also, don’t smoke.
• An hour before bedtime postpone gadgets.

Be careful on the road

To avoid getting hit by the wheels of a car or other vehicle, you should follow several rules:

• Cross the street at a pedestrian crossing, having first looked around, even if the light is green.
• Walk facing traffic and as far away from it as possible if there is no sidewalk and you have to move along the roadway.
• If there is no pedestrian crossing even far from you, find a well-lit place, wait for a break in traffic and only then cross the road.
• Do not go out for walks while drunk.
• Do not turn on full noise canceling mode on headphones if you use them outdoors. Better yet, remove them altogether.

Take care of air quality

To reduce the amount of harmful fine particles in your home, you can: buy air purifier. Also, on weekends, if possible, you should travel outside the city or visit large parks to breathe in fresh, clean air.

Create silence

To protect yourself from noise at least at home, you can install special window glass or simply not open the windows while you are indoors.