There are some seriously bad habits out there that can significantly shorten your lifespan,
and many of them are really rather surprising.
While it's no secret that cigarettes and junk food are no good for you, there are some examples
that aren't quite so obvious.
Brace yourself.
Getting a good night's sleep can make your day.
But not getting enough sleep can impact your health in a variety of ways.
A study from the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School found that,
"Sleeping five hours or less per night increased mortality risk from all causes by roughly
15 percent."
But oversleeping reportedly isn't very good for you, either.
According to that same study,
"Reduced and increased sleep duration...are linked with hypertension, diabetes, and obesity."
Additionally, not getting enough shut-eye can reportedly lead to heart disease, a weakened
immune system, and mood disorders.
That's one of many reasons sleepytime should be your time.
"What are you doing up?"
"Just can't sleep.
I always used to come into the kitchen and eat food if I couldn't sleep."
If you tend to stay up late, either because you're burning the midnight oil, or burning
the candle at both ends, you should figure out a way to catch a few more Z's.
Your body will thank you.
Are you sitting down?
Well, stand up and stretch before you hear this next bit.
There's a reason devices like the Apple Watch and Fitbit encourage you to stand up and walk
during the day: Sitting too much has been linked to a shorter lifespan.
A study published by JAMA Internal Medicine found that
"Prolonged sitting is a risk factor for all-cause mortality, independent of physical activity."
In fact, sitting too much reportedly increases your risk of dying prematurely, even if you
work out every day and burn a ton of calories.
According to The Wall Street Journal,
"Sitting down for more than three hours a day can shave a person's life expectancy by
two years, even if he or she is physically active and refrains from dangerous habits
like smoking."
A desk job can make it all too easy to sit down for prolonged periods of time, but you
should definitely take breaks to walk around, stretch your muscles, and get that blood circulating.
Regardless of what upper management thinks.
"You're the boss."
"You might remember that a little more often."
Can your social life impact your health?
According to a study published in the journal PLOS Medicine,
"The quality and quantity of individuals' social relationships has been linked not only
to mental health but also to both morbidity and mortality.
[The study found] a 50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger
social relationships."
That's not to say you need five-thousand friends and an overstuffed social calendar full of
parties to be healthy…but it's important to establish solid relationships with a few
good people in order to live a long life.
Oh, and if you have some juicy gossip to share with your friends, all the better.
According to a 2015 article in The Daily Beast,
"Gossip, says an Oxford University evolutionary psychologist, provides vital physical and
psychological benefits, and benefits society.
But you have to do it right."
Robin Dunbar, the psychologist in question, told the publication,
"[Gossip] can have a positive effect, but if pushed too far the reputation of the gossiper
can be in danger.
You play your hand as hard as you can.
Aim to balance, reinforce, and service, like you service a car.
Pass on delicious tidbits, but don’t overdo it."
Here's a sign that you've gone too far.
"Boo!"
"BOO!"
"BOOOO!"
It's such an easy habit to fall into: You come home from work, order some food, and
spend the rest of the night parked in front of the TV.
If this sounds like you, you may want to change up your routine.
"Could it be true?
A new study claims watching too much TV can be as dangerous as smoking, Rick!?"
Could it possibly be true?
In 2011, Science Daily reported that
"A new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers [suggests] prolonged
TV viewing [is] associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
and premature death."
"Prolonged TV viewing" in this case meant watching two or three hours of television
a day, so consider yourself warned.
Meanwhile, in 2019, the website Cardiovascular Business reported that
"A study on the effect of different sedentary behaviors on [cardiovascular] health has pinned
binge-watching television as a more harmful activity than sitting at a desk job, though
the negative effects of both can potentially be reversed with exercise."
Seems like the message is quite clear: Stop watching so much TV, and start getting serious
about fitness.
You probably know that fast food isn't good for you, and neither is candy.
But were you aware that eating too much red meat might actually be bad for your health?
According to a 2012 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine,
"A higher intake of red meat [is] associated with a significantly elevated risk of total
cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality."
As BBC News reports, the study also found that
"Adding an extra portion of unprocessed red meat to someone's daily diet would increase
the risk of death by 13%, of fatal cardiovascular disease by 18% and of cancer mortality by
10%."
The study noted that it's totally fine to enjoy red meat in moderation, but eating too
much really isn't a good idea.
Although it's important to work out, not all exercise routines are created equally, and
some activities may be more effective than others.
Running is certainly good for you, but it shouldn't be the only thing you do when it
comes to exercising.
"Hey, this is my route, okay?
Just back off."
"This is my neighborhood.
You just ran by my house."
"I like to run by myself, okay?"
Dr. Scott Schreiber, a specialist in rehabilitation and nutrition, told Bustle that only doing
cardio can actually be detrimental to your health.
As he explained it,
"If you are just doing cardio, your body will become less efficient at burning fat, and
begin to break down muscle tissue instead.
Sarcopenia, a decrease in muscle tissue, has been shown to cause people to move less, [increasing
the] risk of heart disease and diabetes, and eventually decreasing longevity."
So make sure you mix it up at the gym.
Do some squats and deadlifts before going out for a jog, and you just might find out
that you really like it.
And who knows?
Your health may just depend on it.
On a scale of one to ten, just how worried are you?
It might behoove you to learn how to relax, especially in today's increasingly insane
and terrifying world.
Stressing out, being overly anxious, and worrying all the time may actually shorten your lifespan.
Wait, did we just give you something else to worry about?
"Sorry."
As Psychology Today points out,
"The list of damage that worry can do, because of the biology of stress, is long and scary.
Which means that not worrying more than we have to may be the best thing we can do for
our health."
Meanwhile, Time magazine worryingly reports:
"The vast majority of research...finds that excessive worry and stress are linked with
a higher risk for illness, conditions such as obesity and hypertension, and an increased
likelihood of turning to alcohol and tobacco to dull the anxiety and depression."
Remember: Worrying won't help matters, and it might actually shorten your life.
We suggest learning how to meditate.
You'll be amazed at what it can do for you.
It's totally normal to have bad days, weeks, or even months, but always having a negative
outlook might be detrimental to your health.
"The biggest drawback to working at a theme park is that you must live under constant
fear of deadly terrorist attacks."
A 30-year study from the Mayo Clinic had one aim in mind.
As they put it,
"[We wanted] to examine explanatory style (how people explain life events) as a risk
factor for early death...Of the 839 patients, 124 were classified as optimistic, 518 as
mixed, and 197 as pessimistic."
Interestingly, the study came to the conclusion that,
"[Having a pessimistic outlook on life] is significantly associated with mortality."
No, it's not always easy to be cheery and positive, but constantly being grouchy and
in a bad mood can reportedly weaken your immune system.
So, if you feel yourself starting to get too negative or discouraged, try to remember that
staying positive is what's best for your health.
Being pessimistic is a bad habit that is really quite bad for you.
It's not exactly a secret that single-use plastic containers are bad for the environment,
but plastic containers as a whole might not be great for your overall health.
"Only recently has BPA been linked to a number of health concerns."
According to a report from Scientific American,
"Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous compound in plastics...and tests have shown that the
chemical can promote human breast cancer cell growth as well as decrease sperm count in
rats."
The report also mentions that,
"[There are] hosts of studies [that show that BPA] leaches from plastics and resins when
they are exposed to hard use or high temperatures (as in microwaves or dishwashers)."
Meanwhile, a doctor told Bustle that,
"Drinking out of plastic water bottles...can lead to breast cancer, fibroids [FIE-broyds],
and cysts [SIHST]."
Plastic is bad for the environment and your health, so it's probably best to avoid using
it to store your food.
Agreed?
It's likely that constantly being on your smartphone is bad for your health, but what
exactly are the risks involved?
According to the American Cancer Society,
"With respect to cancer, concern focuses on whether cell phones might increase the risk
of brain tumors or other tumors in the head and neck area."
Meanwhile, Ellie Marks, the executive director of the California Brain Tumor Association,
told Healthline in 2019,
"There is extensive research proving cell phone radiation is causing DNA damage and
cancer, not just brain, but salivary gland, thyroid, breast, damage to fetuses, damage
to sperm, miscarriages, bone cancer and more."
As if that's not already alarming enough, one doctor warned the website Bustle that
"Using your smartphone in excess has been shown to cause pain in the neck, shoulders,
head, and back.
Sustained abnormal postures have been shown to decrease lifespan by putting pressure on
internal organs, blood vessels, and nerves.
In addition, those that experience chronic pain have a decreased lifespan."
When it comes to smartphones, it sounds like the smartest thing to do is use the gadget
in moderation.
You can never be too careful, right?
Especially nowadays.
But in some cases, using hand sanitizer might not be the best thing for you.
Of course, always be sure to reach for the stuff when you've used a public restroom that's
out of hand soap, but don't overdo it on a day-to-day basis.
In 2016, the FDA issued a warning against hand sanitizer, writing that,
"Long-term exposure to certain active ingredients used in antibacterial products…could pose
health risks, such as bacterial resistance or hormonal effects."
Additionally, Dr. Scott Schreiber told Bustle that constantly using hand sanitizer might
actually make you more susceptible to disease.
As he explained it,
"Over-using hand sanitizer will create an environment for antibiotic-resistant bacteria
to grow.
These bacteria are very difficult to get rid of and can cause a myriad of health conditions."
So use sanitizer when you must, but try to wash your hands when it's an option.
Living in the city is certainly convenient.
You have access to loads of entertainment, top-notch health care, and no shortage of
places to socialize and work.
But city life can reportedly harm your health in the long-term, and not just because of
air pollution.
Surprisingly, all that noisy traffic can shorten your lifespan if you don't get out of the
city enough.
As the Chicago Tribune reports,
"Long-term exposure to noise pollution from traffic may reduce life expectancy, a new
study contends.
Living near busy roads also may increase the risk of stroke, particularly among older people,
the researchers said."
Jaana Halonen, a co-author of the study, told the Los Angeles TImes,
"The risk of death from any cause was increased by 4% in areas with noise level over 60 decibels
when compared to quieter areas."
It seems that all that noise produces stress, which in turn rouses the sympathetic nervous
system:
"It bumps up the production of certain hormones and that leads to vascular damage."
Of course, that doesn't mean you shouldn't live in a big city, but don't get in the habit
of never getting out and smelling the roses.
It's important to take a breather every now and again to get away from all that noise
and find some peace of mind.
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