The greatest of follies is to sacrifice health for any other kind of happiness.

Nearly every other good depends quietly on the body that is meant to enjoy it. Money, success and even pleasure are worth much less to someone exhausted or unwell, and yet health is the thing most often spent to get them, a few hours of sleep at a time. The trade tends to look sensible in the moment and foolish only in hindsight.

Illness is often nobody’s doing, and if you are unwell, none of this is a verdict on how you lived. Where you do have a choice, notice one habit that borrows against your health for something that matters less, and repay a little of it this week.