(bright music)
- [Lily] Hey, Psych2Goers.
Welcome back to another video.
Thank you for all the love
and support you've given us.
Psych2Go's mission is to help
everyone learn about psychology
and mental health in a digestible way.
Let's begin.
Have you ever woken up
feeling more tired than when you went to bed?
Exhaustion doesn't only come
from doing strenuous activities,
like playing sports.
There are many little habits
that you might not even be aware you have
that drain your energy.
They're normal, seemingly small activities
that most of us probably do.
But they can have many unknown negative effects.
So here are eight habits that drain your energy.
Number one, looking on the negative side of life.
Are you a pessimist?
Do you always look for things to complain about?
Studies from the University of Concordia
have shown that optimists are better
at regulating their sympathetic nervous system
compared to pessimists.
This means that those who look
at the more positive side of things
are better at handling
and coping with stressful situations.
By focusing on the negatives of your life,
you may end up constantly feeling
stressed, anxious, and exhausted.
Number two, overthinking.
Do you stay up late running various what-ifs
and worst-case scenarios in your head?
Spending so much mental energy
without any physical outlet can be draining.
These never ending negative thought spirals
may cause you to constantly
feel anxious and distressed.
Your body produces the stress hormone cortisol
when you overthink
and stress yourself out.
Over time, this constant release of cortisol
may lead to feelings of exhaustion
and cause burnout.
Number three, living in the past.
Do you often replay moments from your past
and find yourself overcome with regret
about some of the things you didn't or did do?
Living in the past
takes your focus off the present moment.
Like overthinking, spending too much mental energy
without an outlet or way to cope
can make you feel exhausted and stressed.
Number four, associating with negative people and drama.
Have you ever felt drained
after spending time with a friend?
Maybe they spent most of the time
talking about themselves
or they're bringing unnecessary drama into your life.
Whatever the reason,
being around people who don't make you feel
supported, happy, and comfortable
can leave you feeling anxious and exhausted.
Healthy friendships should be
a balance of give and take.
So if you always feel
that it has become your job
to please them all the time,
you may feel tired and exhausted.
Number five, using social media to bring you down.
Have you ever scrolled through social media
to compare your lifestyle to others?
Social media is a great way
to stay connected and entertained,
but there's a huge difference
between using it to get inspired
and to connect with people,
and using it to compare yourself to others.
Comparing yourself to snapshots
of someone else's greatest
highlights and achievements isn't healthy.
This can affect your self-esteem
and lead to a cycle of negative thoughts,
which can be mentally draining.
Number six, having a poor diet.
Did you know that eating a ton of junk food
can leave you feeling tired
and drained of energy?
While junk food in moderation is normal,
a constant bad diet
lacking in water, nutrients, vitamins,
or fruits and vegetables
can leave you bloated and unhealthy.
According to a study by Harvard Medical School,
diets high in refined sugars, for example,
worsen your body's regulation of insulin,
and promote inflammation and oxidative stress.
Number seven, not exercising.
Do you exercise regularly?
Besides the more obvious health benefits,
exercise can actually help increase your energy.
A study by the University of Georgia
found that those who completed
a regular exercise routine
reported reduced fatigue
and higher levels of energy
compared to those who did not exercise.
This along with many other benefits of exercise
means everyone, no matter your age or fitness level,
can benefit from exercising.
Number eight, having an unhealthy sleep schedule.
Do you often wake up late into the afternoon?
Whether you are sleeping
too little or too much,
having an irregular sleep schedule
isn't good for you.
A study by the University of Pennsylvania
found that subjects limited to 4.5 hours
of sleep per night reported feeling
stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted.
Similarly, sleeping too much
can lead to lethargy, excess drowsiness
and in some cases, depression.
So have you done any of the habits we've listed above?
Tell us about it in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this video,
please like and share it with others
who may find it helpful too.
Don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go
and hit the notification bell for more videos.
All the references used
are also added in the description box below.
Thank you for watching
and we'll see you soon.