24/7 life is bad for us

The hectic pace of today's 24- hour lifestyle may be wreaking even more havoc on our health than we realise.

Modern living is creating an epidemic of binge drinking, irritability, loss of sex drive and indigestion, it is claimed.

The findings of a survey of nearly 550 adults aged 25 and over highlights the extent to which people are struggling to juggle work commitments with the demands of family and keeping up with friends.

The report, called Life in the Fast Lane, found 85 per cent of adults are suffering indigestion, while 62 per cent have a reduced interest in sex.

Although six out of ten would secretly like to do nothing at the weekend, their spare time is actually filled with shopping, family, household chores or catching up with their friends.

One in five admits taking work home to finish over the weekend, while half of all respondents reported feeling stressed at the weekend at least once a month.

The 'fast-lane' approach to living means 61 per cent of adults spend only between 15 and 30 minutes eating their evening meal. And almost 80 per cent admit to excessive alcohol consumption.

Impatience and anxiety or a wish to avoid even the slightest delay appeared to be symptomatic of fastlane living.

More than half of respondents admitted to passing through traffic lights on red, while 58 per cent use their car for short journeys rather than walk.

Almost three-quarters said they would put the phone down rather than wait on hold, while 84 per cent admitted to saving a few seconds by walking on moving escalators.

Nearly six out of ten people said they felt they were 'missing out' on something but did not know what.

The survey, commissioned by indigestion remedy Remegel, questioned people in London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Cardiff and Manchester.

As working and living lifestyles change drastically, it sought to discover what effects the above are having on indigestion levels as well as friendships, families, working practices and most importantly general health. Leon Kreitzman, author of the book 24 Hour Society, said: 'Our bodies have not evolved to operate in a flexible 24-hour environment.

'Unless we take more care, we will suffer extremely unpleasant symptoms which, as well as indigestion, include irritability, low concentration, reduced sex drive and mood changes'.

Registered dietitian Azmina Govindji added: 'Eating on the go, stressful jobs, busy social lives and a hectic lifestyle in general-can compromise our overall wellbeing. This in turn can affect our digestion, especially if we eat unbalanced foods.

'The answer is to find simple, manageable steps towards a healthier lifestyle, finding the combination of diet and physical activity that works for you, whether you are a working mother, a doctor working night shifts, or someone who sits at a desk all day.'

' Life coach' Blaire Palmer believes there are ways you can manage stress levels, along with diet, to avoid consequences such as indigestion.

He said: 'Our lives move at such a fast pace - being stuck in a traffic jam is a chance to make a quick phone call, travelling home on the train is a chance to compile the shopping list and the lunch break is a chance to pop to the bank or return an item to the shops.

'The key to stress and time management is the ability to stop "doing" all the time and start "being" some of the time.'