There is a saying that we are all slaves to our habits. It does not bode well for many of us since a lot of our habits are unhealthy. We commonly do plenty of things that can ruin our health. We are already aware of some bad habits, like smoking, sedentary life, etc. But there are others which may escape our attention.
Let’s start with breakfast. Skipping breakfast for business or other excuses has become a common trend. This is harmful since breakfast is crucial to kick-start our daily metabolic process and provide the fuel we need to sustain ourselves after a night of fasting.
Lunching at your desk is also not advisable, which is quite popular at the workplace—working while eating is equivalent to watching TV while eating. Moreover, lunchtime should be utilised for de-stressing and socialising with colleagues rather than being pinned down with files.
Eating dinner too late at night is another bad habit. According to US dietitian Alexis Supan, such activity disrupts our body’s normal rhythm because insulin resistance kicks up during bedtime.
The result is insufficient metabolism leading to the majority of late meals being stored as fat. The advice is to keep a gap of about 2.5-3 hours between bedtime and dinner. The bedtime should be set so that we can get 7-8 hours of sleep.
The practice of using smartphones before going to bed is bad news. The blue light from digital screens can interfere with certain hormone levels required for good sleep. Therefore, these devices should be avoided immediately before sleeping.
There is a tendency among many of us to snack a little bit even when we’re not hungry. This increases the risk of cardiac diseases and diabetes and may harm mental health.
Following a week of balanced diet and overeating on weekends sounds tempting. While having a small indulgence is okay, going overboard after a week of a balanced diet will undo all the gains and cause bad health. So step away from that.
If you like binge-watching the ‘House of the Dragon’ or ‘The Rungs of Power,’ do not do so. Randall Wright, a neurologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, links it with health risks, such as weight gain, heart problems and diabetes.
The same things could happen if we overeat junk food. Having it once in a while is okay, but if junk food becomes our main source of nutrition, then it is a problem.
Young people are often seen walking around with headphones for long hours. It can damage hearing in the long run. The use of heels, while popular among women, also spells bad due to the risk of arthritis, back pain or tendon injuries.
Last but not least, nail-biting and nose-picking are not only embarrassing but also bad habits. These habits can transfer bacteria to places where they should not be, increasing the chance of infection.
It is difficult to change habits, but not impossible. We need to identify the bad ones and gradually try to replace them with healthier activities. Given time and perseverance, we can certainly succeed.
