Despite health and wellness being popular topics to debate, more than half of the population don't think their lifestyle is healthy. The same amount of people believes that they're not capable of making healthy choices. The main thing holding them back from healthy living is that they don't know what steps they can take to improve their lifestyle.

We're going to talk about the top 10 interesting health and wellness facts. Find out everything you need to know about giving your health a boost and living a happier life.

1. Laughter Can Benefit Your Health

When was the last time you laughed so hard tears formed in your eyes? We're talking about the kind of laugh that's bigger than a giggle.

Having a good belly laugh does more than make you feel good. It can benefit the following areas of your body:

• Immune system
• Mental health
• Vascular function

But, how does it work? Laughter is a physical response to feeling happy.

Our emotions affect all areas of our bodies. Unpleasant emotions, like depression, stress, and loneliness, can have negative effects on your heart. Negative emotions can release stress hormones that wreak havoc on your body and health.

Laughter counteracts all of that. Your body releases endorphins when you laugh. These hormones block out bad emotions and make you feel good.

2. You Could Be Eating More Sugar Than You Think

You might've already cut cake, cookies, and candy out of your diet on your path to healthy eating. While that's a great choice, you might be consuming more sugar than you think. The average person eats around 22 teaspoons of sugar each day.

We'd hazard to bet that you're not eating sugar right out of the canister with a spoon or adding it to your recipes. It's recommended that most people consume around six to nine teaspoons of sugar each day. Knowing where the extra sugar is coming from can help you stay on track.

Sugar naturally occurs in various foods, like vegetables and fruits. You want to pay attention to food and drinks that contain added sugar. There are over 60 names for that type of sugar.

Some of the things that include hidden sugar are:

• Juice concentrates
• Honey
• Breakfast cereal
• Yogurt
• Salad dressings
• Soda

Read the labels of everything you eat or drink. Look for ingredients that end in "ose" or syrups.

3. Short Workouts Can Boost Your Health

Between work, kids, and everything else, it can be challenging to find time during the day to relax, let alone work out. However, 10-minute high-intensity workouts are effective in doing the following:

• Reducing fat
• Improving overall health
• Lowering insulin resistance

Longer workouts can build on the above benefits, but doing short, vigorous workouts are just as effective. These workouts are something you can get done before you get ready for the day or during your lunch break. You can find fitness videos on YouTuve or exercise apps.

4. Regular Meditation Is as Beneficial as a Vacation

Have you run out of vacation days but need to recharge your mind? Regular mediation can be just as restorative as a week-long vacation. Meditating for 15 minutes every day can give you the same mindfulness you'd get on a vacation day.

People associate vacations with positive emotions and greater well-being. Access those emotions from the comfort of your own home with meditation.

You can sit on a beach chair, cushion, or even the floor to get started on your meditation practice. Download apps like Calm if you need help with guided meditation.

5. Bad Sleep Habits Can Contribute to Weight Gain

Everybody has different requirements for sleep. Getting less than seven hours of sleep a night can affect your weight. Bad sleep quality has been linked to an increased body mass index (BMI).

On top of that, sleep disorders can get worse with weight gain. It's a terrible cycle. Weight gain causes poor sleep quality and poor sleep quality causes weight gain.

Some ways to improve your sleep patterns and more healthy living ideas include:

• Remove your phone, computer, and TV from your bedroom
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed
• Make sure your bedroom is relaxing, dark, and quiet

6. Sitting Too Much Can Cause Inflammation

How many hours a day do you sit at your computer while you work? We bet it's way more than you'd like it to be.

Spending too much time sitting can cause increased inflammation in women. Inflammation causes:

• Pain
• Heat
• Swelling
• Redness

Upgrade your desk to a standing desk so you can take breaks from sitting throughout the day. You can also get up and walk around for a few minutes several times during the day.

7. Our Brains Shrink as We Get Older

Our brain creates over a million new neural connections each second when we're younger. When we reach our 30s and 40s, our brains begin to shrink. This phenomenon becomes more pronounced when we get into our 60s.

As our brain shrinks, our cognitive abilities will change along with it. There are some things you can do to slow down the process, including:

• Exercising
• Managing your blood pressure
• Not smoking

8. Food Can Put You in a Good Mood

We are what we eat and the food we consume can affect our moods. Foods like nuts, salmon, eggs, and spinach are great for giving you good feelings. That's because they slowly release energy into your body.

You should also eat breakfast every day to start your day off right. Eat smaller portions instead of big meals. Don't eat foods that spike your blood pressure, like sugary foods and drinks.

9. You're Likely Eating Too Much Salt

Salt is another sneaky ingredient that finds its way into our foods. Most people eat more sodium than they should. Consuming too much sodium can hurt your health, such as affecting your heart health and raising your blood pressure.

Hidden sources of salt in your diet include:

• Cured meats
• Yeast bread
• Chicken
• Salty snacks
• Chips
• Soup
• Salted nuts
• Frozen breaded dinners and meats

10. Sweating Doesn't Help You Lose Weight

Some people think that wearing sweatsuits while exercising or hopping into the sauna afterward can help them lose weight. While you will sweat out water, which can cause you to lose water weight, it's a temporary loss. Once you eat or drink again, you'll gain that weight back.

Extreme sweating won't help you during your weight loss journey. It can be harmful to your health.

Improve Your Physical and Mental Wellness With These Healthy Choices

As you can see, it doesn't have to be complicated to make healthy choices. Take the time to research what methods work best for you. You want to set yourself up for success with long-term health and wellness.

Checkout our other content on our site for living a healthier lifestyle.