When Was The Last Time You Did These Health Checks?

If your first thought was – what health checks? Then this list is definitely for you. Perhaps you run a quick health check-in with yourself occasionally – but only when you remember. Almost everything that could be serious or cause concern is found the first time in the home. 

You might find it, or it might be by a partner, but the fact remains worrisome things (and equally, those things that could be nothing) can be found with a few simple health checks you can do at home. 

Pulse

Perhaps you have a few incidents where you feel dizzy when you stand up too fast. You might be feeling tired. Or perhaps you often feel like your heart seems to be racing outside of working out. Start taking your pulse regularly to get some insight into your heart health. 

A higher resting heart rate can indicate an increased risk of heart attack, and if you feel fluttering or often have rapid heartbeats, this could be a heart condition, and you should chat with your physician. 

Check your pulse by placing your index and middle finger over the vein in your neck, count the pulses for 30 seconds, multiply by two, and that is your heart rate. Or you can purchase a pulse-taking device for more accurate results. 

Skin Test

Your skin is your biggest organ and is so often overlooked, and almost all of us have some form of skin damage before we realize it. It might surprise many, but skin cancer is one of America’s most common forms of cancer. When this type of cancer is caught early, it is almost always treatable. Most of the moles and other indicators of skin damage and cancer can be found by keeping an eye on moles that look new or different over time. Studies suggest that people who do regular skin checks are more likely to spot skin cancer than their regular physicians. 

Not all moles are dangerous; most people have several or more. Some key indicators of moles might need an inspection, though. The ABCDE rule is a great guideline:

A = asymmetrical

B = borders that are irregular

C = color that isn’t like your other moles

D = Is it larger than the eraser on a pencil? What is the diameter? 

E = Have there been changes in its appearance over time? Has it evolved?

For those with a higher risk of skin cancer, for example, if it runs in the family or you have a high amount of sun exposure, getting a yearly check is a good idea. 

Tired

With millions of people having incredible business lives and often being tired, there is a significant difference between being a bit tired and constantly exhausted. There are a lot of expectations put on us to be busy 24/7, but humans aren’t really built that way – and if you are running yourself into the ground daily, no amount of sleep will help you recover from that. 

You might not even be aware that you suffer from sleep disturbances like sleep apnea, which is more common than people think. It causes pauses of no breathing when you are asleep. This is dangerous for your heart, lungs, and brain and has a knock-on effect over time. It will exhaust you, and most people don’t know they have it. 

For those who seem to wake up constantly exhausted, other things could be causing it – anything from vitamin deficiency to unmanaged high-stress levels and more. 

You might not think you can test your sleep at home, but there are things you can do to help! If you have a partner, ask them to stay awake a little bit longer to watch how you sleep – they might be able to identify issues. You can also consider using a recording device to record you while you sleep and listen for pauses in breathing. 

If you don’t hear pauses or anything else but still can’t seem to get beyond feeling exhausted, then go and speak to your physician. 

Temperature

Your temperature is one of the most significant indicators of what is going on with your health. The most reliable and accurate thermometers are digital under-the-tongue thermometers, forehead scanners, and ear thermometers. 

Whichever device you choose, stick with that one as you start keeping track of your temperature. You will have a consistent set of records for a baseline and will know if something isn’t right almost immediately. 

While a mild rise happens occasionally, you can also watch for a low temperature. High typically means an infection, while low temperatures can be liver disease, hypothyroidism, or diabetes. 

Blood Pressure

For many people, they know they have high blood pressure and how to manage it because they have already been to the doctors – but not everyone knows the signs. High blood pressure presents in the following ways: 

• Chest pains
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Blurred vision 
• Nosebleeds

These can be intermittent and not usually all at once. So if you have an occurrence of any of these, then it is a good idea to head to your doctor. 

Blood pressure monitoring devices are available in many pharmacies and online, and they will give you an instant reading. You should start to write these numbers down, and if there are variations or you notice spikes during times or after certain activities, this is worth a discussion. 

High blood pressure is more common in those with kidney diseases, sleep apnea, and diabetes – so it is worth keeping a regular eye on blood pressure where you have one. 

If you are starting to look at your health in a new way and want to make positive changes and do regular checks, here are some things that can improve your quality of life: 5 Healthy Activities That Will Help You Regain Your Health.