50 Things People Take Too Lightly When They Shouldn’t

It’s clear that people tend to take all sorts of things more lightly than they should; but quite a few of them relate to their health, which can have serious negative consequences, if not now than later in life.

In a recent interview with Bored Panda, a professor in social and decision sciences at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert in health behavior, Dr. Gretchen Chapman, noted that there is even a concept known as ‘present bias’, which refers to the idea that people pay much more attention to outcomes happening here and now than they do to future outcomes, which can lead to them discounting the value of said future outcomes. “That concept explains why many of us don't worry about the cancer or heart disease that might be decades in the future,” she explained.

Prof. Chapman continued to point out that there are many recommended actions that don't address any immediate problem but reduce the risk of future threats. "Some examples include:

1. preventive health behaviors such as getting flu or COVID vaccine or taking medication to reduce high blood pressure.
2. Health screenings to detect conditions that aren't causing any current problems but could develop into something serious, for example, mammograms, pap tests, PSA tests.
3. Insurance decisions such as purchasing disability insurance or homeowner’s or renter’s insurance to protect against future damage.
4. Safety measures such as changing the batteries in smoke detectors or routine care maintenance.”

According to Dr. Chapman, when it comes to health, even the seemingly minor signs shouldn’t be overlooked. “Minor symptoms are sometimes an indicator of a serious underlying condition that could develop into something life-threatening,” she told Bored Panda. “An example could be a breast lump that prompts the person to seek a mammogram to check for cancer.”

Though, the expert added that a certain type of minor symptoms tend to resolve on their own and never turn into anything serious. “An example might be a respiratory virus that feels horrible for several days but resolves with time. It can be a difficult decision to figure out which minor symptoms should prompt medical attention. Health psychologists have a concept called the ‘worried well’ where healthy people get too worried about minor symptoms.”

While it’s important to pay attention to the signals your body is sending that can be indicative of a certain illness or condition, it’s arguably even more important to take good care of yourself, so there is nothing—or at least fewer things—to signal.

According to Dr. Chapman, many deadly chronic conditions of old age can be caused in part by health behavior in younger years. “Examples include heart disease and diabetes that are linked to exercise and dietary habits established at a young age or lung cancer caused by a smoking addiction that was initiated as a teenager. Thus, even a young healthy person needs to take care of their health.”

Professor of Health and Human Sciences at Loyola Marymount University Dr. Hawley Almstedt seconded the idea that it’s crucial to look after your health, no matter how young you are.

“It is important to take good care of your health at all ages, even during youth. For example, weight-bearing exercise during the two years before and after puberty can have lifelong impact on bone health, allowing someone to avoid osteoporosis and hip fractures later in life.

“People should pay attention to recommended health screenings, too. The ACS now recommends beginning cancer screenings as early as 40 years old and the AHA advises adults 20 years and older to have blood cholesterol and cardiovascular risk factors checked every 4-6 years. Screenings and early detection allow for effective and optimal treatment.”

It’s no secret that one good way of taking care of yourself is exercising regularly. “Exercise is crucial to overall health, fitness, and mental wellness,” Prof. Almstedt told Bored Panda. “It can improve sleep, elevate mood, relieve stress as well as help lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure. I consider exercise to be a ‘polypill’ with the ability to improve health and lower risk for many of the top 10 leading causes of death for Americans.”

According to Dr. Almstedt, the American culture rewards those who are tough and ignore signs or symptoms of illness. “Unfortunately, our busy ‘to do’ list often takes priority over self-care,” she pointed out. “This causes us to be out of touch with what our body is trying to tell us. Many people could benefit from improving interoceptive awareness, which is the ability to notice internal sensations.”