Human beings are creatures of habit, but sometimes we form habits that aren’t helpful or even outright harmful to us. These 10 negative habits can have a serious impact on your life and you don’t even know it. You may think that because they don’t result in painful symptoms, they’re not hurting you, but the truth is they can be much more damaging than we realize. Here are the top ten negative habits that could negatively impact your life if left unchecked
1) Waking up late
It’s important to wake up on time, even if you don’t have much to do or need to be up early. Waking up late makes it hard for your brain to switch gears and can make you feel sluggish all day long. You may end up feeling more tired because of the lack of sleep as well. If you’re not careful, this habit can lead to a vicious cycle where each morning gets worse and worse.
2) Hitting the snooze button
Hitting the snooze button may seem like a harmless habit in the morning, but it can actually have a significant impact on your day. When you hit the snooze button, you force yourself to go through REM sleep again, which means you’ll be getting less total sleep than if you had just woken up and started your day. Plus, it takes an average of 20 minutes to fall back asleep after being awoken by the alarm clock for a second time.
3) Not drinking enough water
You need to drink water, even if you’re not thirsty. When we don’t drink enough water, our mouths get dry, which can lead to cracking lips and sore throats. Our brains also don’t work as well when we’re dehydrated.
4) Unhealthy eating habits
Unhealthy eating habits can wreak havoc on your body and have a negative impact on your life. Overeating or overeating one food group can lead to metabolic disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. It can also lead to mood disorders like depression and anxiety.
5) Not exercising
You don’t need to exercise for hours every day to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Even a few minutes here and there can make a difference. The key is consistency, so try setting some goals for yourself and sticking with it.
Exercising is also an important part of managing stress levels. It’s been proven that people who exercise regularly have lower levels of cortisol, which means less anxiety and stress in general. Exercise can also alleviate symptoms of depression and help you sleep better at night.
6) Smoking
Smoking has a significant effect on both the smoker and those around them. The smoke from cigarettes contains numerous carcinogens, which can lead to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other respiratory diseases. Smoking also affects family members by exposing them to secondhand smoke (or passive smoking), which can cause heart disease, lung cancer, and asthma.
7) Drinking too much alcohol
Drinking alcohol excessively is a bad habit that negatively impacts your life. Drinking too much can lead to liver problems, weight gain, and an increased risk of cancer. Consuming more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men is considered excessive drinking. Alcohol has been linked to over 100 diseases including breast cancer, colon cancer, leukemia, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Cutting down on the number of alcoholic drinks you have each week is the best way to start living a healthier lifestyle.
8) Not getting enough sleep
Not getting enough sleep is a terrible habit for many reasons. In addition to reducing the quality of your work, and increasing the chance of you getting sick, not getting enough sleep can have an impact on your emotional health as well. Lack of sleep can lead to mood swings and irritability, which can cause serious problems in personal relationships. The best way to avoid these consequences is by setting a bedtime routine that includes going to bed at the same time every night, and waking up at the same time every morning.
9) Stressing out
Stressing out can have a negative impact on your life. Stress has been shown to affect the immune system, impair cognitive function, and increase the risk of heart disease. The best way to deal with stress is to find ways to minimize or eliminate it from your day-to-day life.
10) Multitasking
Multitasking has been proven to have a negative impact on the brain, due to the fact that it causes you to switch back and forth between tasks. This can lead you to forget what you were doing in the first place, which causes stress and increased anxiety levels.