- [Narrator] Hey Psych2Goers.
Have your parents ever told you
that you shouldn't do something,
not because it's actually bad,
but because it doesn't make them look good?
Many of the habits that you were made to think are bad
can actually be good for you for a number of reasons.
Believe it or not, everyone has one or more of these habits,
even if they don't show it in public.
So to help you identify some of the good habits
you may be doing but are not aware of,
here are six habits that are actually good for you.
Number one, chewing gum.
Have you ever been scolded for chewing gum?
While it's true that chewing gum
does not bring you any kind of nutritional benefit
and may be disturbing for others to listen to,
chewing gum does help you focus
and lower your stress levels.
According to researchers at Cardiff University,
chewing gum improves the alertness of workers
and reduced their stress.
Additionally, a study in the Journal Appetite
found that chewing gum also increases your short-term
and long-term memory.
So yeah, people might find the sound annoying,
and you might not look good constantly chewing something,
but this habit does have its benefits.
Number two, letting gasses out.
What do you think about letting gas out?
Do you think it's disgusting
or just a natural function of your body?
It's easy to see why people say letting gas out is bad.
After all, farts and burps smell bad.
And there are people who, when letting them out,
can make very nasty sounds.
However, letting gas out of your body
is actually much more beneficial than holding it in.
The body is known to release gas around 14 times a day.
And this is one of the only ways that your body
can get rid of the carbon dioxide and methane
that are produced in your digestive tract.
Keeping gas in your body can cause you to have
a splash of gastric acid into the gullet
that can lead to chest pain.
So don't try holding them in,
since it might actually harm you.
Number three, biting your nails.
Do you often bite your nails?
This is a habit that most people find is pleasing,
mainly because of the fact that your nails or hands
are the most exposed part of your body.
So a lot of dirt and germs can get stuck under your nails.
Also, in some cases,
biting your nails can make a sound
that disturbs a lot of people around you.
However, some doctors have actually supported the theory
that biting your nails and having this small scale exposure
can help you build your immunities
and improve your health in the long run.
So this habit may not be all that bad.
Number four, skipping showers.
Do you believe that you should take showers every day,
even when you don't get dirty?
Skipping showers is perceived as a bad habit,
and it can make you look like someone who doesn't care
about their personal hygiene.
However, it may not be that bad
if you were just home all day
and haven't done any activity that might make you dirty.
This is because showering every day with soap
can strip your hair and skin from its natural oils
causing dryness.
Even if you don't use soap,
hot water can destroy a lot of bacteria
that help your skin stay healthy.
So if you stay home all day and feel like you are clean,
then skipping a shower once in a while
may benefit your hair and skin.
Number five, sleeping in.
Do your parents complain whenever you sleep in?
The popular belief is that sleeping in means
that you're a lazy person.
Similarly, they may think waking earlier means
you're a more successful person.
However, waking up when your body tells you to wake up
is actually healthier than forcing yourself to wake up early
and not getting enough rest.
Getting up according to your circadian rhythms
can keep your metabolism up and avoid a lot of problems
that people who under sleep face,
such as over eating junk food.
So it's better to give your body
the amount of sleep that it wants,
even if it looks bad to other people.
And number six, swearing.
Have your parents taught you not to swear ever?
Well, swearing, according to etiquette rules,
is deemed as rude and inappropriate,
but according to a study conducted in 2017
and published in the journal
Social, Psychological, and Personality Science,
people who swear tend to have more integrity
and are more honest.
Swearing can also help you increase your pain tolerance,
relieve stress and process negative emotions better.
This doesn't mean you should swear
as soon as you have the chance.
Instead, you may just wanna stop suppressing this habit
just because others might think that you're rude
since it can actually bring a number of benefits
for your emotional health.
Did you relate to any of these habits we've mentioned?
Let us know in the comments below.
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The references and studies used in this video
are added in the description below.
Thanks so much for watching,
and we'll see you in our next video.