Discover some surprising wellness facts and gain an understanding of how your body works in a way you never had before!

You may think you know everything about living a healthy life, but you’d be surprised at how much more there is to learn. In fact, there are several surprising facts about wellness that many people don’t know. This blog post will explore 27 interesting facts on health and wellness.

Whether you’re interested in learning more about wellness or simply want to be entertained, read on for some fascinating insights.

1. Wellness Fact: You can improve your mental health by exercising

It’s a well-known fact that exercise is good for your physical health. But, did you know that it can also boost your mental health? Actually, exercise releases endorphins, which are hormones that make you feel good.

These hormones help improve your mood and reduce stress levels. Exercise also helps you sleep better by regulating your body’s circadian rhythm.

Health Tip

If you’re not sure where to start, try taking a walk or going for a light jog. However, 30 minutes of exercise daily at least 5 days weekly is ideal.

Read also: 11 Amazing Benefits of Regular Physical Exercise

"The decent method you follow is better than the perfect method you quit." – Tim Ferris

2. Wellness Fact: Sitting up straight at work may be bad for your back

Sitting up straight at work may seem like the right thing to do, but it’s actually bad for your back. This is because when you’re sitting up straight, you’re putting a lot of pressure on your spine, which can cause pain and discomfort.

So, try leaning back slightly (Nordqvist, 2006).

Health tip

If you’re having trouble with your back, try to adjust your workstation so that you’re sitting in a more comfortable position. Also, make sure to take breaks every hour or so to stretch and move around.

3. Wellness Fact: You can reduce your risk of heart disease by eating chocolate

Chocolate is often seen as a guilty pleasure. However, it turns out it’s good for you too! Dark chocolate in particular is high in antioxidants, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Dark chocolate is high magnesium and cocoa content can also reduce blood pressure and improve the health of your blood vessels.

American Heart Association, 2019

Health tip

For the most health benefits, try to choose chocolate that has at least 70% cocoa.

Consider watching my top 10 picks on YouTube. If you do, subscribe to keep up to date with my latest content.

4. Wellness Fact: People who are lonely have a shorter life expectancy

People who are feeling isolated lonely may be more prone to disease and illness because their immune system is weakened. But, it’s unknown whether this risk stems from isolation itself or other factors that are associated with it.

In fact, some experts estimate that loneliness can decrease your life expectancy by as much as 15 years. That’s similar to the effects of obesity and smoking 15 cigarettes daily!

(Scientific American, 2019)

Health tip

To fight loneliness, just being around other people can be beneficial. So get out there and socialize! Getting a pet can also help reduce feelings of loneliness.

5. Wellness Fact: Watching TV for long periods is associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease and cancer

It turns out that plopping yourself down in front of the TV for hours (or binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix) might not be the healthiest habit.

Studies have shown that each hour spent watching television increased the overall risk of death from all causes by 11%. 

In fact, the risk of death from cancer increased by 9% and heart disease increased by 18%. Notably, it’s not only watching TV. Any prolonged sedentary habit is just as harmful.

The Guardian, 2021

Health tip

Try to limit your TV watching to no more than 2 hours per day. And if you can, get active while you’re watching – walk on a treadmill or exercise while you catch up on your favorite show!

"The quality of your sleep depends on the quality of your day." – Deepak Chopra.

6. Wellness Fact: You can get sick from touching your face

It’s easy to forget that our hands are covered in germs and that we can easily transfer those germs to our faces.

Touching your face can lead to the transfer of bacteria, viruses, and other allergens, which can cause you to get sick.

Health tip

Try to keep your hands away from your face as much as you can. Wash your hands with soap and water, or sanitize them with alcohol-based hand sanitizers if you don’t have access to a sink.

7. Wellness Fact: You can get addicted to love

It’s true! Love addiction is a real thing, and it’s classified as an addiction because people who are addicted to love tend to have the same symptoms as people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol.

They tend to be very impulsive and have low self-esteem and have an excessive interest in their romantic partner(s).

This pathologic love is estimated to affect 3-10% of the general population with likely rates as high as 25% in college students.

Psychology Today, 2019

Health tip

If you feel like your love life is taking over your life, talk to someone about it. Try joining a support group or seeing a therapist who can help you get your life back on track.

8. Wellness Fact: Your brain activity changes when you’re falling in love

Scientists have studied the brain processes of people who are falling in love and have found that there are certain areas of the brain that are activated when people are in love. 

These areas include the hypothalamus, which is responsible for hunger and thirst, and the nucleus which is associated with pleasure.

9. Wellness Fact: You can get addicted to carbohydrates

Just like you can get addicted to drugs or alcohol, you can also become addicted to carbs. This is because carbs trigger the release of dopamine, which is the same hormone that’s released when people abuse drugs or alcohol.

Health Tip

Try to limit your carb intake. This means avoiding white bread, cereals and pasta, and choosing wholegrain options instead.

And, if you feel like you’re addicted to carbs, there’s someone out there who can help!

Read also: List of best foods to eat for a healthy diet

"Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen. Put them together and you have got a kingdom." – Jack Lalanne

10. Wellness Fact: You swallow between 1-2 liters of saliva every day

Saliva plays a very important role in your digestive system by helping to break down food so it can be absorbed.

It is important for keeping your mouth healthy by neutralizing acids and bacteria. About 1-2 liters are produced each day, most of which is unnoticeably swallowed.

Saliva also helps keep your teeth strong, healthy and clean. However, producing too much or too little saliva may be an indicator of certain medical conditions, or a side effect of some medications.

11. Wellness Fact: You lose about 50-100 hairs every day

It’s normal to lose hair, and you lose about 50-100 strands of hair every day. This is because hair follicles go through a natural cycle of growth, rest and shedding. But, this number could increase for several reasons including age, genetics, stress, illness, or pregnancy.

Health tip

If you’re losing more hair than normal, or if you’re seeing bald patches, talk to your doctor. You might have a condition that requires treatment.

12. Wellness Fact: Your body is constantly fighting an internal battle against germs and viruses

Even when you don’t feel sick, there are millions of invisible (to the naked eye) germs living in your mouth, nose, throat and gut that are trying to get inside your body and make you sick.

Fortunately, your body is equipped with an army of white blood cells that help it fight off these invaders.

Health tip

Keep your immune system strong by eating well and exercising regularly. You can also try boosting your immunity with herbal teas or supplements from a health store, but only when you talk to your doctor first.

13. Wellness Fact: The human brain is mostly water

Even though humans have complex brains, our brains are actually quite small when you take into account the size of our bodies. A human’s entire brain is only about 2% of his or her body weight.

Plus, the human brain is about 75-80% water. In fact, the entire human body is mostly water (about 60% although there are variations based on your weight, hydration age, gender etc).

Health tip

A brain is a terrible thing to waste. Try to stay hydrated as much as possible. Plus, make sure you protect your vulnerable noggin by wearing a helmet whenever you’re on a bike, motorbike or horse. 

"Progress, not perfection." – Kimberly Snyder

14. Wellness Fact: It doesn’t always take less muscles to smile than frown.

Although it is commonly believed that it takes less muscles to smile than to frown, this has not been proven.

Depending on the type of smile that’s being made, different sets of facial muscles are used. For example, when you smile with your mouth closed, you use the muscles in your cheeks and around your eyes. 

But when you smile with your teeth showing, you use a different set of muscles – the ones in your forehead and around your eyes.

However, there are many benefits of choosing to smile than frown.

Health tip

Even if nothing else changes in your situation, smiling is enough to reduce stress and lift your mood. Plus, it’s a great inexpensive gift to share with others.

15. Wellness Fact: Your taste buds start to go bad after the age of 40

As you grow older, your sense of taste starts to fade and you begin to lose some of your ability to taste sweet, salty, sour and bitter flavors. This is because your taste buds start to die off and regenerate at a slower rate.

Health tip

You can help preserve your sense of taste and smell by:

• Eating a healthy, balanced diet.
• Quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake.
• Avoiding mouthwashes and breath fresheners that may irritate your mouth’s sensitive tissues.

Read also: List of 5 most unhealthy habits to quit ASAP

16. Wellness Fact: You can get pregnant while on your period

It’s true! You can get pregnant while you’re on your period. Okay, I’ll admit that the likelihood is extremely low on the first day of your period. But, it does go up as you get closer to ovulation.

Plus, sperm stays in the female reproductive tract for up to 5 days, so there’s always a chance of getting pregnant no matter when you have sex. Plus, you may believe it’s your period when it’s actually spotting due to another reason.

Health tip

If you’re trying to avoid getting pregnant, use contraception. There are a variety of methods available, so talk to your doctor about which one is right for you.

17. Wellness Fact: You can get stretch marks from losing or gaining weight too quickly

Stretch marks happen when the middle layer of skin (the dermis) is stretched out and the elastin and collagen in the skin tears, which can lead to scarring as the skin repairs.

Health tip

If you’re planning on losing or gaining weight, do it slowly and safely to minimize stretch marks. Plus, remember than genetics do play an important role. So, for some persons stretch marks may be much harder to avoid.

"Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness." – Edward Stanley

18. Wellness Fact: Lack of sleep can physically affect your brain

When you don’t get enough sleep, not only do you feel tired and cranky the next day, but it can affect your brain.

Actually, the lack of sleep decreases the grey matter in your brain and interrupts brain repair and regeneration.

Health tip

To develop healthy sleeping habits, try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. If you’re having trouble sleep, avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed, and make sure your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet.

Read also: 27 Healthy habits to naturally improve your sleep. 

19. Wellness Fact: The average person spends about 9 years on their phone in a lifetime

It’s no secret that people are addicted to their smartphones. In fact, the average person spends about nine years on their phone in a lifetime. When you consider the fact that people are using their phones more and more each year, it starts to add up.

According to stats, most persons get a phone by the age of 10 years and spend approximately 3.07 hours daily on their phone.

Entrepreneur, 2022

Health tip

If you find yourself using your phone too much, start setting some time-limits on how much you can use it each day. Also, try to spend more time interacting with people face-to-face instead of through a screen.

Read also: Screen time for kids: 8 Tips to win full control

20. Wellness Fact: 1 out of every 10 people is left-handed

Left-handedness is a trait that is found in about 10% of the population. As such, left-handed people are often considered to be “special” or “gifted” because they are in the minority.

According to research, lefties tend to be better at tasks that involve creativity and imagination. If you’re left-handed, don’t be afraid to embrace it!

Health tip

Did you know that there are a number of products and tools that are designed specifically for left-handed people?

Plus, try using your non-dominant hand for activities that you don’t usually do, like brushing your teeth or hair. This will help you to increase your brain power.

Read also: 19 Easy ways to increase your brain power.

21. Wellness Fact: It’s better to avoid losing weight quickly

When it comes to losing weight, it’s better to do it gradually rather than all at once. This is because if you lose weight too quickly, your body will start to break down its own muscle tissue in order to generate energy.

Rapid weight loss may also decrease your metabolism, increase the possibility of gallstones, dehydration and malnutrition. 

Health tip

If you’re trying to lose weight, try to do so gradually to allow your body to adjust without adverse effects. Plus,  be wary of crash diets which make be unhealthy and/or lead to weight loss which isn’t sustainable. 

"Health is a relationship between you and your body." - Terri Guillemets

22. Wellness Fact: Women have a better sense of smell than men do

It’s a fact that women have more olfactory cells than men do. This means that they can smell more and better, and they also process smells in the brain differently (Paddock, 2014).

In fact, women are usually able to remember smells better and can identify hints of odors in a mixture that men can’t.

Health tip

If you want to remember something, try smelling it. The sense of smell is very powerful and can help you to remember things better.

23. Wellness Fact: You can improve your mental health by eating certain foods

Just like exercise, eating the right foods can also boost your mental health. Foods that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and walnuts, can help improve cognitive function and mood.

Other mood-boosting foods include dark leafy greens, berries, and beans.

Health tip

Regularly add some of these mood-boosting foods to your next meal and see how you feel.

24. Wellness Fact: Using ergonomic devices can help prevent repetitive strain injuries

If you work at a computer all day, you’re at risk for developing a repetitive strain injury. This is because using a computer for long periods of time can put a lot of strain on your wrists, arms and shoulders.

However, there are things you can do to prevent this from happening, such as using ergonomic devices. Ergonomic devices are designed to help you stay comfortable while you’re working.

Health tip

If you’re starting to feel pain in your wrists, arms or shoulders, stop using the computer and take a break. Also, make sure to use ergonomic devices when you do have to use the computer for long periods of time.

25. Wellness Fact: Laughing is good for your health

I’m sure you’re already aware that laughing is not only good for your mental health. But, it’s also good for your physical health.

When you laugh, your body releases endorphins, which are hormones that make you feel happy and relaxed. Laughter can also help to burn some calories, improve your immune system and increase your lifespan.

Health tip

Always remember to take a break and do something that makes you laugh.

26. Wellness Fact: The color of your food can change how you taste it

The color of your food can have an impact on how you perceive its flavor. For example, people tend to think that yellow foods taste sweeter and red foods are stronger.

Research suggests that the color blue can help people feel more full. In fact, painting your kitchen blue may help suppress your appetite.

Experts have even suggested using a blue light in fridge to help curb cravings.

Dwell, 2018

Health tip

When you cook, try to incorporate as many different colors as possible so that you get a greater variety of flavors.

"Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live." – Jim Rohn

27. Wellness Fact: You can tell a lot about someone based on their fingers

It is a fact, that you can tell a lot about someone based on their fingers. Unfortunately, not all theories have been backed by science.

It is also believed that the way you type on a keyboard can reveal a lot about your personality and skills. For example, if someone types quickly and with few errors, it’s likely that they’re a fast and efficient worker.

If someone types slowly, they may be more detail-oriented and thoughtful. Finger length can also say something about your personality.

People with short index fingers are likely to be more impulsive, whereas people with long index fingers tend to be more considerate.

Also, if someone has a ring finger that is longer than their index finger, they’re probably going to have trouble focusing on one thing at a time.

Health tip

Take some of these generalized predictors with a grain of salt. Also, it’s worth noting that these predictions tend to vary based on sex and ethnicity.

Final words on surprising facts on wellness you didn’t know

There you have it! 27 surprising health facts that you probably didn’t know.

Now that you’re armed with this information, you can start to make some healthy changes to your lifestyle that will benefit your health in the long run.

So what are you waiting for? Start living a healthier life today!

It is important for us to stay informed on these topics so we can make better decisions in our lives and help others do the same.

What’s your favorite fact on this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Related Topics

How to prioritize your wellness throughout the week?

I know that it can be difficult to prioritize your wellness throughout the week. You have a lot of things going on, but you want to make sure that you are taking care of yourself too.

That’s why I’ve created this guide for you! It will help you get started with prioritizing your wellness so that you can feel more relaxed and less stressed out during the week.

How to stay healthy even when you’re busy?

We all know how hard it can be to stay healthy when you’re busy. You work a lot and the last thing on your mind is what you’re going to eat for breakfast or if you’ll have time to go for a run before dinner.

It’s important that we take care of ourselves, but some days just seem impossible! Here are some quick tips and tricks that I’ve learned over the years that help me stay healthy even when I’m super busy.

References

American Heart Association (2019) Are there health benefits from chocolate?

Aubrey, A (2013) Can You Be Addicted To Carbs? Scientists Are Checking That Out

Dwell (2018) How the Colors in Your Kitchen Affect Your Appetite

Psychology Today (2019) What is love addiction

Scientific American (2019) Loneliness is harmful to our Nations’ health

The Guardian (2021) Watching television increases risk of heart disease

Wu (2017) Love, Actually: The science behind lust, compassion and companionship.

Iorgulescu G. (2009). Saliva between normal and pathological. Important factors in determining systemic and oral health. Journal of medicine and life, 2(3), 303–307.

Entrepreneur (2020) You Will Spend 76,500 Hours, or Almost 9 Years of Your Life, Using Your Mobile Device

Paddock, C (2014) Women’s finer sense of smell may be due to more brain cells.

Nordqvist,C (2006) Don’t Sit Up Straight, It’s Bad For Your Back