Haunting Image Reveals How Humans Will Look If Lockdown Routines Continues

Yes, The average person working from home on a long-term basis could end up with skin that will lose its natural complexion and a hunched back, according to a new study from the UK accompanied by a scary visual.

The study conducted by LloydsPharmacy doctors predicts that the average person’s skin will become lackluster from a lack of sunlight; they will gain weight from not exercising and have a hunch back from bad posture.

A team of experts warns this could be the long-lasting effects of bad habits resulting from the pandemic on our long-term health.

The haunting visual shows a hunched, overweight woman with poor posture that developed sickly pale skin, poor eyesight, hair loss, and deteriorating teeth from grinding them in her sleep. 

The photo was created in response to research that reported the harmful impact of ‘lockdown lifestyle changes,’ including working from home, had on overall health.

According to the study, the lockdown has had several negative effects on the human body:

Weight Gain

LloydsPharmacy Chief Superintendent Pharmacist Victoria Steele said the average person had a daily commute before the pandemic and was going outside much more than now.

“This new sedentary lifestyle as a result of lockdown restrictions is likely to be playing a role in contributing to the UK’s weight gain, which can easily spiral out of control when you start to lose motivation and confidence.”

Steele said people not having this regular commute to work should commit to “30 minutes of daily exercise at least five times per week.”

Posture

People working from home are using the couch, kitchen table, or even their bedrooms as a substitute for offices. 

This leads to poor posture hunching over their computer, staring at the screen in various unhealthy positions.

‘People often find themselves hunched over their computer, staring at their screen from first thing in the morning to last thing at night,’ Steele said.

They are not in a workplace that would more than likely follow health and safety guidance. 

Sleep

Expert Sleep Physiologist Stephanie Romiszewski said watching the news about countless deaths and infections has had a ‘real impact on our mental wellbeing.

‘With many of us working from home, the compression time between work and home has been removed, which can lead to anxieties from work following you into your downtime, making it difficult to switch off each night and fall into a peaceful slumber,’ she said.

She recommends waking up at the same time each day, limit watching the news directly before bed, and avoiding working in your bedroom if possible.

Lack of vitamin D

‘LloydsPharmacy Pharmacist Anshu Kaura says that the skin naturally produces vitamin D3 when spending time in the sun; however, the body doesn’t always produce enough on its own, so it needs to be consumed through sun exposure, food, or supplements.’ 

Not getting enough vitamin D can result in weaker teeth that can easily chip and crack, while long-term can lead to a loss of bone density and osteoporosis.

Stress and anxiety

LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor Dr. Amita Bhattacharjee says that stress and anxiety can cause harm to the body in many ways.

‘Your body perceives stress as a threat, causing a surge of hormones to create a chemical reaction to occur as a way of dealing with pressure and preventing injury – known as the ‘flight or fight response.’

Signs of stress and anxiety include increased heart rate, loss of appetite, digestive health complaints, headaches/ migraines, pain, dizziness, sleeping disruption, and hair loss.

Sexual Performance

Along with lockdown restrictions, the pandemic has also affected sexual health, with 1 in 3 women saying they are worried about their libido. 

It’s not only impacting women; data from LloydsPharmacy’s Online Doctor indicated the hidden impact the pandemic is having on men, as searches for premature ejaculation medication soared in May 2021 by over 200%. 

Dr. Sameer Sanghvi, a LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, said that premature ejaculation and issues around having sex were a growing problem. He said it ‘could be caused by the pandemic and our behaviors post-pandemic too.’

In conclusion, it’s important that we try not to let these poor habits formed due to lockdown impact our health any further, the firm said.

‘The hard-hitting visual highlights what the average person could look like in five years but making small changes in our day-to-day lives could alleviate that.’