We all have habits, some good, some bad. We will know which ones we carry out, and if they are bad, we will know it. We also all have habits that we might not even realize have become habits – we might just think of them as totally normal behavior. This is where the problem can lie when it comes to bad habits; we could easily be involved in them and just not take into account just how bad they are for us, or how much a part of our lives they have become.
Read on, and you will discover some of the biggest bad habits that people have that have a negative effect on our mental and physical health, and it’s likely you’ll recognize at least one of them as being something you do on a regular basis.
The good news is, once you are aware of what you are doing and how it is hurting you, you can do something about it.
What Habits Do You Have That Might Be Affecting Your Health?
Switching On The TV
TV in itself is not a bad thing; it can be a great way to unwind, and we can also learn about the world by watching the news and documentaries. The problem comes when you watch too much TV – when the first thing you do after coming home or waking up is to switch on the set. This is due to a lack of physical activity that could potentially evolve over time.
A balance is key, as if you remain sedentary over an elongated period, it can lead to issues with your health that can be long term, such as obesity.
Make sure you engage in regular exercise, and that you get up and walk around every hour or so if you are enjoying a rare box set binge. However, reducing the amount of TV you are watching and replacing it with something healthier is a much better idea. Play a game, do a puzzle or stretch your legs; these small changes will make all the difference.
Stressing Too Much
Although you may not consider being stressed a habit, in reality, it is one. This is because there are ways that you can work on reducing your stress levels, ensuring that you don’t make yourself sick through stress, which means that stress does not have to be the default mode you fall into.
De-stressing and learning to be calmer may take some time, but it is worth discovering how to do it. The less stressed you are, the healthier you will be. Being stressed won’t change the situation you are in, but it will take away any pleasure you might be able to find in the present, and that causes problems in your home and work lives too.
Stress has a lot to do with hormones which, in the right quantities, can be extremely useful, but when there is too much (or too little), health problems can occur. Cortisol, nicknamed the stress hormone is a prime example of this. A little of this hormone and you will feel alert and aware of what is happening around you. Too much cortisol, which is what happens when you are chronically stressed, can cause heart issues, high blood pressure, ulcers, depression, and more.
The first thing you need to do if you are chronically stressed is to look at what your stressors are and try to deal with them. If you are concerned about your health, for example, then speak to a professional who can diagnose you properly.
If you are stressed because of financial concerns, there are answers. Perhaps consider cutting back, look at your lifestyle choices, or search for installment loans might help to reduce your outgoings, and make life easier. Perhaps it’s your job that is making you stressed in which case you can spend some time searching for a new one or speak to your boss about the problems you are experiencing.
Not Asking For Help
Not asking for help is definitely a habit that many of us easily fall into without ever realizing we are doing it, or not doing it as the case may be. Perhaps you are always telling yourself that there are no problems and that you are fine, even when you are feeling overwhelmed and lost or, as above, stressed. This is not a good idea, as rather than being ‘strong’ you are simply hiding the fact that you need help.
Requiring help is not a sign of weakness; none of us is born knowing how to deal with certain situations or cope with certain problems and challenges. In order to get further ahead and to feel better for it, it’s a good idea to ask for help. Who you ask will depend on what the issue is. A medical problem should go to a doctor or therapist. A business problem should go to a mentor or someone who you are networking with.
It might be that you simply need to talk, in which case friends and family members can be ideal sounding boards.
Too Much Alcohol
We know that something like smoking even a small amount of bad for us, and that drinking a great deal is unhealthy too. Yet what about drinking a little, on a regular basis? This can be bad for us as well, causing illnesses and a dependency on alcohol that can quietly creep up, taking us by surprise. One glass of wine in the evening can become two, then three, then a bottle. One shot of spirit can double easily. Before you know it, you might be craving that drinks at the end of the day, and at that point, it can be difficult to cut down again.
Drinking in moderation is the key, and it is this that will keep you much healthier than allowing your drinking to gradually increase, even if it never gets to what might be termed a dangerous level.
Try only drinking every other night, or only on weekends, and see what a difference it makes to your life. Be careful not to ‘binge’ however, when you do drink, as this can be just as bad and even worse than having small and regular drinks.