The average adult today is chronically underslept and often lacks one or even two hours of sleep on average than the recommended amount of seven to eight hours daily. These poor sleep habits contribute to a 19% increase in kidney failure, according to a 2016 study by the University of Chicago which found a link between sleeping 6.5 hours per night and the odds of kidney failure.
The main reason for this is presumably that your kidneys keep working when you’re awake, and the lack of sleep causes them to overstrain themselves without getting enough rest. Another possible cause is that we often tend to make the worst dietary decisions towards the end of the day when we’re tired and lack energy. The more you’ve exercised willpower during the day, the less you’ll have at the end of it to avoid making bad decisions.
Don’t Eat Those Shellfish!
Seafood has been associated with a higher risk of kidney disease, especially shellfish. These mild-looking and great-tasting delicacies are actually really bad for your kidneys, due to a toxic chemical called domoic acid. According to a 2014 research by the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, this domoic acid, causes a health situation called "Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning", which basically means your kidneys are under attack by various toxins.
Even low quantities of this toxin have been reported as harmful, so it would be best to make sure you eat seafood in moderation, especially if you're a fan of shellfish. This is obviously disregarding other risk factors such as mercury and other contaminants, which are not that dangerous in moderate amounts but could easily add up to dangerous levels when eaten without caution.
Watch Your Saturated Fat Consumption
There are essentially two kinds of cholesterol, a good one and a bad one. According to the National Kidney Foundation, you should mostly be aware of the bad kind called LDL cholesterol. This type of cholesterol not only clogs arteries but also harms your kidneys.
Despite being quite unhealthy, you can enjoy butter occasionally and in small amounts, but should absolutely avoid it in large doses. By replacing butter with margarine, you get a similar flavor with almost no trans fat or “hydrogenated” fats, which both cause a dramatic rise in your LDL cholesterol level.
Regular Exercise Promotes Kidney Health
According to The National Kidney Foundation (yup, it actually exists), doing some form of daily exercise helps lower blood pressure, improve sleep, and enhance muscle function.
According to a 2019 study, people with kidney disease who worked out for just 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise (that’s an average of 30 minutes per day for five days) have seen a substantial improvement in their health.
How a Healthy Social Life Can Improve Your Health
Most people know that we human beings are social creatures. We like to hang out with other people, talk to them, share with them, and more. Even introverts who pride themselves on their ability to thrive in solitude still need the occasional conversion, even if it's a virtual one. What scientists found about the subject of sociability is actually quite shocking, and you'll be running to tell your friends about it right after we tell you!
Having a good social life is officially linked to healthier kidneys unless you spend that time binge drinking with your friends. If you're a responsible and moderate drinker, you now have a great reason to spend some quality time with your friends this weekend!