Habits that Sabotage Your Health
By Sara Butler
Ask any stranger on the street and most can identify habits that are bad for their health such as smoking or eating too much junk food. But most people aren’t familiar with the habits that fly under the radar and sabotage their health a little bit at a time. Here are a few of those habits. Learn them so you can avoid them in your daily life.
Reliving Stressful Events
When you think about something stressful that happened in your past, it’s simply not good for your psychological health and ultimately your overall health. When you ruminate over past experiences that caused your stress, then it can increase symptoms of depression.
Be aware of how much time you take during the day to think about past events. Rather than go over them again and again, put your energy toward something else. Plan for the future!
Venting
Venting to your family and friends may seem like a good thing, but studies have shown that instead of reducing your negative feelings, venting makes them worse. Studies have found that discussing problems with friends increases your stress hormones. So, instead of helping you to get it off your chest, your vent session is probably only making your feelings worse.
Social Media Scrolling
Social media is a relatively new thing, but its effect on people is swift! No matter what you enjoy mindlessly scrolling through, be it Facebook or Twitter, it might be bad for your mental health.
Studies have found that social media use is tied to feelings of isolation and the more time you spend scrolling, the more isolated you may feel. Needless to say, feelings of isolation are not good for your physical or mental health, or your overall wellness.
Instead of spending time scrolling through your social media accounts, invest your time and energy in real interactions with real people. Have lunch with your spouse or a friend, call up your best friend for a chat, or have dinner with your family. Real-life interactions improve your overall health.
Spending Money
In the moment, spending money may make you feel better, but blowing your savings on impulse buys can have some significant effects in the long term. Studies have found a correlation between financial problems and mental illness. In other words, the likelihood of having mental health issues is about three times higher in people with debt issues.
Keep in mind that correlation doesn’t equal causation, but it’s important to note that financial problems lead to stress and stress is bad for your health.
It's the little things that can add up quickly and cause your health to decline. So be aware and take care of yourself and your health!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sterling, Va.
