We have become so accustomed to the fast pace of life that, in many cases, we stop paying attention to the signals our body sends us. Poor sleep, feeling tired all day, recurrent headaches, or living with discomfort that interferes with our daily routine have become situations that many people normalize. However, what if our body were trying to warn us that something isn’t right?
For Esther Gómez, a nurse, university professor, and science communicator, getting used to certain symptoms does not mean we should resign ourselves to living with them. The key is to observe when they appear, how long they last, and how they affect our daily life. «Just because a symptom is frequent doesn’t mean we should resign ourselves to living with it,» she warns.
Within the Razones de Peso campaign, promoted by Lilly, Gómez emphasizes the importance of listening to the body without falling into health obsession or seeking diagnoses on the internet.
She also reminds us that obesity is a complex disease that cannot be reduced to a matter of will and that it requires individualized care.
The fatigue, dizziness, and headaches we shouldn’t normalize
One of the most common mistakes is getting used to living with repeating symptoms. Constant fatigue, for example, is often attributed to not getting enough sleep or to stress, but it can also be related to problems such as anemia or sleep apnea, among other causes.
«If it lasts for weeks without a clear explanation or affects our life, it is worth investigating,» explains the nurse. The same goes for dizziness, which can originate from dehydration, the effects of certain medications, or inner ear disorders. When it persists or recurs, it is important to consult a healthcare professional.
Recurrent headaches also deserve attention, especially when they worsen or change from what is usual. Although most are not related to a serious disease, we should not downplay their frequency or the impact they have on our well-being.
The specialist notes that there are certain signals that require immediate attention: new and intense chest pain, significant breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness, or the sudden appearance of difficulties speaking or weakness on one side of the body. In these situations, she recommends calling 112. We should also seek urgent care if we experience a sudden and extremely severe headache.
The guidance is clear: don’t wait until you’re truly unwell to seek help. A medical assessment allows identifying what is happening and determining whether we need any kind of treatment.
The everyday habits that may be harming our health without us realizing
Beyond the symptoms, there are everyday behaviours we don’t always pay enough attention to. Sleeping little for months or living under constant stress can have consequences that go far beyond fatigue.
According to Esther Gómez, ongoing lack of sleep can affect concentration, memory, mood, and reaction time. In the long term, it is also linked to problems such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
Chronic stress can also contribute to digestive discomfort, headaches, sleep disturbances, and mental health problems, or worsen the ones that already exist.
Added to this are other habits that directly influence our well-being: spending too many hours seated, maintaining a monotonous diet, or turning to products and supplements without truly knowing their effects.
The communicator also warns of an increasingly common error: trusting any health advice found on social media. «Confusing popularity with reliability» can lead us to follow recommendations that lack sufficient scientific evidence or that are not suitable for our situation.
Therefore, she advises checking who is behind each post, what training they have, which sources they use, and whether there is any commercial interest. A personal experience or a video with thousands of views does not prove that a treatment works.
The three habits a nurse recommends to care for health starting today
It is not necessary to radically change our lives to start taking better care of ourselves. In fact, Esther Gómez argues that small changes, when kept over time, can make a significant difference.
If she had to choose only three habits to improve our health, the nurse is clear:
1. Move a little more each day. Walking, engaging in active travel, or introducing breaks to stand up after long periods of sitting are simple ways to incorporate physical activity. The World Health Organization recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week for adults, in addition to muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days a week.
2. Make sure to get enough sleep. For most adults, the target is seven to nine hours per night. Proper rest supports concentration, helps regulate mood, and contributes to overall well-being. If persistent difficulties sleeping or daytime sleepiness persist, it’s worth seeking advice.
3. Favor a varied diet. Including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains is a good starting point. It isn’t about following impossible diets or eliminating foods without reason, but about building a balanced eating pattern that we can maintain over time.
The nurse reminds us that these habits form a foundation for looking after our health, but they do not replace medical care when a problem exists. In the case of obesity, for example, improving diet and increasing physical activity can be part of the approach, but they do not replace clinical evaluation or the support of a multidisciplinary team.
Her final message is an invitation to take care of ourselves without impossible demands: listen to our bodies, pay attention to changes, and seek help when needed, without waiting for discomfort to become part of our daily routine.
