Most of us have some bad habits we’re not too proud of. Many of them are harmless enough. Biting your nails and chewing your hair are typical habits that a lot of us have. They happen almost subconsciously and tend to occur when we’re deep in thought. Of course, there are some bad habits that we wish we didn’t succumb to quite so often. But are any of them making you ill?
Smoking
We all know that smoking can be potentially lethal. It is a fact that smoking cigarettes can cause various cancers. Smoking will also stain your fingers and your teeth. It could be harmful to the health of your tongue, throat, and gums, leading to tooth problems. And worst of all, it could be causing harm to those around you when you light up. Perhaps lesser known is the fact that smoking can cause a more rapid appearance of lines and wrinkles normally associated with aging.
If you want to kick this bad habit to the curb, there are lots of options. Stopping suddenly and hoping for the best can lead to mood swings, and uncomfortable cravings. You may struggle to know what to do with your hands. To help you, try mimicking the deep breathing of inhalation. You can hold a pen or pencil between your fingers. And there’s nothing stopping you from stepping outside for a break. Alternatively, try vaping, nicotine gum, patches, or hypnotism.
Drinking
Lots of us would put our hands up to having a good time on the weekend. Does that mean we have an alcohol problem? Maybe not. Addiction is something altogether different. But bingeing the alcohol at the weekend could actually be more harmful than spreading out all those units across a full seven days. If you habitually use alcohol at particular times, then yes, that could be a habit. As alcohol is addictive, you might want to examine your usage more closely. You might choose to start a new hobby, so you have something else to do on a Saturday night.
Spirits may come in smaller quantities, but they are much stronger. Shots are also higher in calories than you might expect too. A shot of whiskey can contain as more calories than half a glass of wine. Beer is available in low calorie and alcohol-free varieties. Wines can also be alcohol-free. Drinking can certainly help us feel relaxed after a long week, but if you’re turning to it a lot, your liver, brain and kidneys could soon start to suffer.
Drugs
With so many music festivals on over the summer, you won’t be short of offers to buy drugs. Maybe your friends like to dabble with pills and substances on a ‘recreational’ basis. But they can quickly become a habit and then an addiction. Addictions are incredibly hard to beat. You can view Alcohol Recovery Centre for more details about ways to tackle this problem. Some drugs like marijuana may seem harmless enough at first, but nearly always will lead to other drugs.
The best way to avoid drug addiction is never to take any. But sometimes you can end up trying something anyway. While life is all about experiencing new things, it’s important to consider the dangers to your body. Your liver and kidneys will have to process the substances you put inside your body. It’s unlikely the drugs you sample will be free of foreign and harmful ingredients that can cause shock, dehydration and poisoning. Drink plenty of water to avoid the damaging effects of dehydration.
Eating
Many of us are familiar with the term ‘comfort food’. Your source of comfort may be ice cream, chocolate, candies or cakes. These foods certainly make us feel good with their sweet gooeyness when we eat them. But the truth is, each of these foods has the potential to cause a lot of harm. The excess sugars and saturated fats could mount up to become a recipe for diabetes and heart disease.
If you make a habit out of eating foods that are bad for you, you could be putting your life in danger. Bad eating habits can also cause damage to your oral health, and may even cause malnutrition. It’s important to balance your diet, so it includes plenty of healthy options like vegetables. Sweet treats once in awhile can be fun and offer a lot of pleasure. But routine consumption is a bad habit your body wants you to avoid.
Inactivity
It’s so easy to lay on the couch and watch the TV. It takes practically no energy at all. Ideal when you’re feeling tired, right? Wrong. This is another bad habit you want to avoid. TV on demand has given us all the freedom to create our own TV schedules. We can watch or catch up on our favorite shows at more convenient times. Being inactive is very bad for your health. Not only can it cause obesity, but it’s really bad for your circulatory system too.
Staying active from dawn to dusk isn’t entirely practical, though. Instead, try to make the most of your waking hours by taking walks, exercise classes, or home Yoga. Spending several hours lying down on the sofa can also cause insomnia. Your body will think it’s bedtime at inappropriate times, and then struggle to settle fully at the correct hour. Just an extra thirty minutes of activity in the evening can be hugely rewarding.
Swearing
Yes, cursing is a bad habit! Lots of us have been guilty of throwing the odd profanity into the air at least once or twice in our lives. But regular cussing can negatively impact on your health. While many of us can understand the effect it might have on your mental health, it also causes a physical reaction in the body. Mentally, swearing could, in fact, be a symptom of mental health problems. Physically, the adrenaline rush from swearing could also be a symptom of stress.
Swearing a lot can worsen these health problems, as well as cause additional reactions within the body. And it doesn’t do much good for your social or professional life if swearing becomes habitual. Try a swear jar or a Mindfulness course to help get you out of this bad habit.
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