Unfortunately, not many people wake up feeling well-rested. If you are like most people, you have been a bit more sluggish lately, have felt your pants getting tighter, or are getting a little out of breath while walking up the stairs. If any of these things are happening to you, it is time to consider thinking about unhealthy habits that might be making you feel worse. Identifying which habits may be stressing out your body is the first step to feeling better overall. If you are not sure where to make changes in your life, see if any or all of these following 5 unhealthy habits apply to you:
1. Too Much/ Too Little Sleep
Getting a good night’s rest can be difficult while juggling work, school, family, friends and other activities in your life. Although the recommended hours of sleep per night varies based on your age, the general range for adults is 7 to 9 hours, according to the Sleep Foundation. Both too little and too much sleep can tax your body and cause you to feel overtired, stressed, cause weight gain, depression, and many more health issues.
2. Late Night Eating
No matter whether you are an early bird or a night owl, the human body relies on circadian rhythms. This applies to our eating habits as well, and can affect your health. Food eaten during the nighttime hours may be more likely to be stored as fat, which can lead to weight gain. If you are prone to nighttime snacking, it is best to develop healthy eating habits and force yourself to stop eating earlier in the night, the earlier the better.
3. Bad Eating
Whether you are overeating or under eating, you could have an undiagnosed eating disorder. In both situations, you can stress out your body by depriving it of essential nutrients and vitamins, and overtaxing certain organs to the point of failure. When someone overeats or under eats, there is usually a psychological component that is driving them to partake in unhealthy eating habits, and this component can be identified and treated with proper medical care. Center for Change can help patients manage eating disorders and get the treatment they need.
4. Skipping Breakfast
Our ever-busy world of go-go-go, it can be tempting to skip breakfast and make up with a larger lunch and dinner. However, skipping breakfast may lead to a whole host of health problems including obesity, mood changes, a decrease in cognition and can even alter menstrual cycles. You can change the whole outlook on your day by taking an extra five minutes to eat a healthy breakfast.
5. Watching TV
Surely watching a TV show or two can’t hurt anyone, right? Yet we know that in many cases, most people don’t sit down for just one TV show. It can easily turn into multiple hours sitting on the couch watching multiple TV shows, and this can ultimately contribute to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even premature death. If you absolutely cannot give up your favorite programs, limit the amount of shows you watch in a day, and you can even exercise during commercial breaks to improve your fitness.
Must Read – Living a Healthy Lifestyle: Steps to Living a Longer Life
By changing your daily habits for the better, your health may be able to improve. It’s important to recognize your weaknesses and work with a medical professional before making any drastic changes. Simple changes can make a big difference in your overall health.
