It’s easy to overlook small habits in our life or to push off good habits for later in life, but while it may be easy, it isn’t wise. You only get one life, and the results of how it all turns out have much to do with your daily choices, instead of your intentions.
You can have the best intentions in the world, and still, end up killing yourself because you lived your life poorly. Sadly, in many cases, we simply just don’t realize just how bad our little habits are and the outcome they will have on our overall quality and longevity in life.
If you are wondering what habits I could possibly mean, here are 8 habits that may be slowly killing you.
1. Snacking, even if you aren’t hungry.
Everyone does it sometimes- we smell fries or see chips on our counter, and boom, before we even realize what we are doing, we are scarfing them down, lack of hunger be damned. But when you make this a habit, eventually you can ignore and damage your body’s hunger cues and inevitably cause yourself to chronically overeat. Overeating can lead to a multitude of diseases and issues later on down the road.
2. You don’t get proper rest.
Sleeping too much or too little can be damaging to your health. And if you are constantly not getting enough rest, your body will have a hard time healing itself and refreshing when you need it most. “Chronic poor sleep may increase chances of heart attack, obesity, diabetes, and endocrine disorders,” explains Darren P. Mareiniss, M.D, FACEP, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
3. Cracking your neck constantly.
Not only does cracking your neck on a regular or frequent basis make you more susceptible to a stroke, but it can also lead to a severe injury. While it may be tempting to crack your neck, just be wary not to make it a habit.
4. Living a sedentary lifestyle.
Sedentary living increases all causes of mortality – including a double risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and an increased risk for colon cancer. Sometimes, we can get caught up in a cycle of depression or we may work a job that is highly sedentary. But there is good news- you don’t have to be an athlete to be healthy. Add extra steps to your day, and strive for 20-30 minutes each day of exercise to cut the risks.
5. Not following a doctor-recommended diet.
If your doctor recommends a diet to you for health reasons, follow it. For example, heart failure patients are often told to cut down on sodium. Not following through with this can be catastrophic.
6. Skipping breakfast.
Skipping breakfast may seem like a good idea, especially when you are trying to lose weight, but doing so is counter-intuitive. Not only does it slow down your metabolism, but it can also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
7. Exercising in intense heat.
Exercise is wonderful and should be a part of everyone’s self-care regimen, with that being said though, be careful not to work out in intense heat. Doing so can lead to heatstroke and heart failure.
8. Drinking too much.
A drink here and there won’t hurt you, but when you drink daily and more than 1-2 drinks per serving, you are putting yourself at risk for many illnesses. Not only does heavy drinking damage the liver, but it can also cause high blood pressure, heart disease, liver cancer, kidney failure and can ultimately cause your body to become lethargic and dehydrated.