In recent years, the term "lifestyle" has gained a huge following. By this we can mean the way in which certain families, individuals or entire societies live, which is manifested through the adoption of specific daily behaviours in the physical, psychological, sociological or economic spheres. Lifestyle is expressed both in the sphere of work and leisure activities, and is translated and expressed in people's activities, interests, opinions, views, the way they live. It also reflects a picture of a person's beliefs about themselves and how others see them. It is composed of motivations, needs and desires, and reinforced by the wider environment - cultural factors, family or social class.

Of course, lifestyle is an individual issue, but one can be tempted to make some generalisations. Life is different for the average person living in a small village in the Masuria region, and in a village with a similar population, but located in the Far East or even much closer to us in Greece. Lifestyle is a culturally or geographically conditioned issue, although it is also worth emphasising that progressive globalisation is conducive to its homogenisation and homogenisation, which can be observed especially in the large cities of highly developed societies - for good measure, life is similar in Moscow, Warsaw and London.

Lifestyle and civilisation diseases

We are living at a time when certain once fatal diseases have been defeated thanks to the invention and use of vaccines and antibiotics, as well as increasingly sophisticated technology, which makes it possible to diagnose and operate on even very complex conditions. At the same time, the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, asthma and insomnia, all of which are side-effects of a life of constant stress and haste, are on the rise as a result of a life of stress. People often put themselves into a rut, believing that the money they have accumulated will become a source of happiness, comfort and entertainment. They also often try to escape from this pursuit, at least for a while, by using stimulants such as nicotine, alcohol, cannabis and drugs, quickly becoming addicted to them. Of course, life's priorities are an individual and subjective matter, but what is certain is that endless stress has a negative impact on general health - blood pressure, cholesterol and the work of internal organs, which has been proven more than once in scientific studies. This is a bit of a paradox of our times - man has invented hundreds of devices to make his life easier and faster, but at the same time he finds it difficult to keep up with all the updates and keep his hand on the pulse, so he often does so at the expense of his own health. The data are merciless - people who smoke, consume alcohol to excess and eat poorly develop life-threatening diseases far more often than the often cited 'tuberculosis of our time', cancer.

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Lifestyle and social factors

It's hard to disagree with the old rule of thumb 'as you are, so you become'. Our lifestyles are undoubtedly influenced by the social and professional environment in which we reside and turn. One only has to look around to see how many people are trying to quit smoking. Studies show that around 80% of smokers have tried at least once in their lives, unsuccessfully, to kick the nicotine habit. There are also studies that confirm that people in manual occupations are more likely to be compulsive smokers than those in non-manual occupations (Lader and Goddard, 2004). On the other hand, arguably many office workers can confirm that the so-called 'going out for a cigarette' often provides a form of socialisation and a suitable moment to discuss certain issues on the sidelines. The existence of such an interlude in inter-work relations does not make it easier to quit smoking; it is difficult to stand in a group of smokers on nicotine starvation. Similarly, it is also difficult to stick to a strict diet when you are among people who are far less concerned about the calorific or nutritional content of the meals they eat. Often, cooking for the whole family can also be an obstacle - our partner or children will not necessarily be thrilled if we change to a diet menu overnight. Of course, there are many solutions to this situation, but they require an extra outlay of will and energy.