It is often said that health is for people who don’t have enough time to devote to it. Practicing yoga, exercising hard, eating green, being lean, etc., it’s impossible to keep up with all the advice. Since we live our lives with barely a second to think, following a healthy lifestyle isn’t always easy.
It is important to follow all these healthy habits, but you can also take care of your health by monitoring the little things you do throughout the day. Habits are so ingrained in our lives that we hardly even notice them. It is these activities. However, that will determine our long-term health.
Here are some bad habits you can easily change to lead a healthier lifestyle:
-
Relying on harmful substances for stress relief
Many people find happiness, pleasure, and numbing their stress through alcohol. Even though drinking rosé or scotch upfront can release endorphins and boost serotonin levels, this is only a short-term fix that will lead to long-term problems.
When you drink alcohol, you aren’t learning healthy ways to cope with current circumstances. In contrast, increasing dependence on alcohol to deal with stress can exacerbate depression and anxiety.
Even when drinking starts out as a new behavior, it can increase during times of stress, leading to long-term dependency. Oftentimes, you don’t even realize you are addicted to alcohol, and there’s nothing else on your mind but getting that next drink because it offers instant gratification.
What to do: During stressful times, find healthy outlets to cope and process pent-up emotions. It’s important to stay in touch with family and friends, whether it’s by phone or in person.
Those struggling with an alcohol addiction must get treatment; otherwise, no amount of time with loved ones can help. There are several resources that offer customized programs like detox or 12-step programs that can help. You can get free information here.
It’s important for individuals to realize there are resources available even if they feel isolated, stressed, or depressed. Once you’re out of the danger zone, involve yourself in everyday activities. Relax on your porch, play in the backyard, or work in the garden. When the weather changes, these are really good things to do since they give you fresh air and a change of scenery.
-
Having a fast-food lifestyle
What percentage of your diet consists of junk food? If the answer is above 40%, you might want to give up the goods.
Like most people, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of ordering in at work or to fall victim to the memory of a particular dish. Cooking something yourself can save you time and energy, but it can also leave you feeling lazy and fatigued.
What you can do: Health doesn’t have to be sacrificed for taste. Do you crave salty fries topped with ketchup and iced Coke? Instead of potato fries, try carrot fries. Bake them in a super-hot oven with olive oil, salt, and pepper for crispy carrot fries.
Alternatively, try grilling sliced potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. It tastes just as good as French fries, but it’s not as greasy. Combine these with lemonade or cold lemon tea for a refreshing treat.
Want to treat yourself to something sweet? Cut some watermelon into slices, add salt, pepper, and honey, and top it off with ice cream. To top it all, you don’t have to be a master chef to try these recipes. They are quick and easy to make and very healthy to eat.
-
You won’t be able to succeed if you stay glued to your laptop or smartphone
It’s easy to lose yourself on your laptop or phone, whether you’re binge-watching a series or working on an Excel spreadsheet of the latest numbers. However, being glued to the screen for hours on end can be detrimental to your health.
What you can do: Give your device a break. No, we aren’t telling you not to do your work, but make sure you give your eyes a break. Get up and get yourself a glass of water, talk to a coworker, or discuss a project in person.
You can also perform simple eye exercises occasionally when you’re working on your laptop. Close your eyes as if falling asleep every 20 minutes and blink 10 times. Every 20 minutes, look away from your computer and gaze at something distant for at least 20 seconds. You can greatly reduce eye strain by performing both of these exercises.
If you sit at the same place for too long while working on your laptop, your posture can also be adversely affected. Yoga can help you correct this problem if you practice it for an hour a day.
-
Don’t say ‘yes’ as much
Trying to say yes to everything may seem like the right thing to do, but it isn’t. The trap can be tempting, and we’ve all fallen victim to it.
However, if you agree to every menial task, you’ll feel as though you haven’t accomplished anything. Worst of all? You won’t have time for your own work because you will be engrossed in a thousand things throughout the day.
What you can do: Don’t be afraid to say no sometimes. You should put your health first and foremost. If you say yes to many mundane tasks, will you have to work at home? If you nodded to this question, you could simply say no. It’s okay to ask someone to return at a less busy time if you’re polite and cringe at the thought of stating your disagreement bluntly. Take care of yourself first because until you value your time, nobody else will.
-
Trying to solve everything with coffee.
It might seem that coffee is a cure-all for all ailments, regardless of how simple or serious they are. Coffee seems to be the equivalent of 42 in your life, from hangovers to headaches to long days. That’s not true.
All things in life are good in moderation, including coffee. Overconsumption of coffee can have a variety of negative consequences. A few symptoms include insomnia, nervousness, irritability, stomach upset, and muscle tremors.
What you can do: Did you know that coffee’s flavor is primarily determined by its aroma? Keep coffee beans in a jar around the house and whenever you feel the need to have a cup of coffee, take a whiff from the jar. As a result, you avoid coffee’s side effects while enjoying its flavor.
-
Believe in the power of water
Whether you’re at home or at work, it’s easy to overlook drinking water. Even though making this mistake might seem trivial, it’s not, especially as the temperature rises. Your body may become dehydrated, dizzy, nauseated, constipated, and chemically imbalanced if you don’t drink enough water.
What you can do: Eat foods that contain a lot of fluids. Watermelons, muskmelons, and cucumbers are juicy fruits you should consume.
The effects of hydration include improving mood (even mild dehydration can make you grumpy), preventing headaches, and maintaining focus. Plus, cool, refreshing beverages are a godsend in the sweltering heat.
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, it’s all about how we do things that determine how good or bad our lives are. What is our suggestion? Take a look at this lifestyle and see how it works for you. Since thousands of people do it every single day, there shouldn’t be much difficulty involved in removing these bad habits from your life.
