Q.We know that certain lifestyle factors can cause stress and may lead to diseases like cancer and coronary heart disease, yet we are unable to change our behaviour. Explain why?

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, poor diet, smoking, alcohol and inactivity, cause stress and diseases like cancer and heart disease, yet we struggle to change them. The reason is that these health-impairing behaviours develop gradually and are accompanied by pleasant experiences temporarily, so their immediate rewards are attractive. We tend to ignore their long-term damaging effects and underestimate the risk they pose. When stressed we also seek 'comfort foods' high in fat, salt and sugar. Unhelpful habits such as procrastination and avoidance give short-term relief but ma …

The lifestyle-disease link

Lifestyle is the overall pattern of decisions and behaviours that determine a person's health and quality of life. Stress can lead to an unhealthy or health-damaging lifestyle. Stressed individuals are more likely to expose themselves to pathogens, have poor nutritional habits, sleep less, and engage in health-risking behaviours like smoking and alcohol abuse. These behaviours are linked to serious diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease. Yet, despite knowing this, we are often unable to change our behaviour.

Why we cannot change

The chapter gives clear reasons:

• Habits develop gradually: health-impairing behaviours develop gradually, so we do not notice the harm building up and there is no single alarming moment that forces change.
• Immediate pleasant rewards: these behaviours are accompanied by pleasant experiences temporarily. Smoking, eating rich food or drinking give immediate enjoyment and relief, and this short-term reward is more compelling than a distant risk.
• Ignoring long-term effects: we tend to ignore their long-term damaging effects and underestimate the risk they pose to our lives. The danger feels remote and uncertain, so we discount it.
• Stress drives 'comfort' choices: when we are stressed we seek 'comfort foods' high in fats, salt and sugar, and stress itself pushes us toward the very behaviours that harm us. …