10 Toxic Habits You Should Quit To Change Your Life

 

Habits: bad or addictive ones; they waste your time, energy and interrupt your life. To make your life more peaceful, you should give up some toxic habits which can make you lethal in near future. Can you do anything about your bad habits? We really have to find out such self-destroying habits to have a happy and healthy life.

Here, I have listed 10 toxic habits which you must quit now to improve your lifestyle.

1. Lack of 8 hours of sleep

How does it affect me?

This is what happens to people who are sleep-deprived: – reduced understanding, difficulty in remembering things, feeling moody, weak immunity, mostly in befuddled state. A bad habit like poor sleeping increases your body’s energy needs.

What should I do about it?

Build good sleeping habits like- avoiding caffeine products right before bedtime, choosing a comfortable bed, and being physically active during the day to have a relaxed and peaceful sleep. Also, try to sleep in almost total darkness.

How will it change my life?

You must sleep for at least 7-8 hours every day. When you’re in deep sleep, your brain cleans up all toxins. This maintains your immune system, keeps your hunger level balanced, and decreases risks for any health conditions.

2. Skipping breakfast

How does it affect me?

If you skip breakfast, you’re weakening your brain. This increases your chances to overeat, gain weight and unexpected blood sugar changes. You have to break this bad habit.

What should I do about it?

Eat breakfast like a king. Choose an ideal breakfast which contains assorted carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Plus, if you eat a healthy breakfast, you are more likely to eat a healthier diet for the day.

How will it change my life?

Eating the right breakfast will help you in maintaining a stable blood sugar, so you’ll have a few hunger pangs in the day. You’ll also have more energy in the morning because you’re fueling up your body early in the day.

3. Staying stressed, unhappy all the time.

How does it affect me?

Using the brain makes it stronger. If you don’t exercise it, you might feel annoyed unnecessarily, digestion problems, increase in blood pressure, becoming overweight.

What should I do about it?

Start today, develop and continue these habits- reading a book, eating healthy, daily workout, and there are many. You must learn to calm down yourself and I’m sure these good habits will work wonders for you.

How will it change my life?

Being happy makes you feel better not only mentally and emotionally but also physically, in the long-term. In time you’ll see your immune systems growing stronger, reduced tension and a cheerful mind always.

You can start some self-help techniques for busting stress from your life.

4. Eating too much junk food

How does it affect me?

Who doesn’t love to binge on cheeseburgers, fries, and coke? But do you realize the risk you’re putting your body at? Eating junk food too often makes you prone to health problems like diabetes, high cholesterol, and other such heart-related problems. Eating more junk food is really a bad habit which needs to quit as quickly as possible. The outcome of this toxic habit on your body is really worried.

What should I do about it?

Here’s how to cut back- When on the go and hungry, avoid a fast food joint. Look for healthier options [A Beginner’s Guide for Keto Diet]. Switch to whole-wheat bread sandwich with a salad on the side.

How will it change my life?

Eating wholesome food daily won’t be easy at first but believe me, it’s totally worth it. You’ll notice a slimmer waistline. Also, you’ll stay away from all those dreadful heart diseases. You might feel the real benefit of leaving this bad habit after some time.

5. Long-term use of painkillers

How does it affect me?

Prolonged use of sedative or medicine can cause more problems than it solves. Some drugs may increase your blood pressure, a risk of heart attacks or gastrointestinal bleeding. If taken more than the prescribed doses, you may feel the urge to take increased dosage to feel the same effect. The bad habit to eat painkiller more often has a hazardous effect on your life. Break this toxic habit before it’s too late.

What should I do about it?

• Exercise regularly. It will help you to release insulin which keeps blood sugar in balance.
• Meditate. Relaxing your body helps it to distract your mind from the pain.
• Opt for some other treatment which is not so risky that it forms a habit.

How will it change my life?

It may take you weeks or months, but you’ll eventually take less medication each time and finally, you will no longer need it. Also, you will be happy and satisfies to know that you are now no longer addicted to any drug or medicine to beat pain.

6. Cigarette Smoking

How does it affect me?

It’s not just a habit, it’s an addiction. It is the major cause of death worldwide. Heart disease; mouth, lung and bladder cancer, heart strokes; premature aging; breathing problems like bronchitis and asthma- Need any more reasons to quit?

What should I do about it?

Quit, just quit today. I know it will be very hard to resist such toxic habit. But you can always take the support of your family or close friends. You can even join some support groups or ask for advice online. Use a nicotine patch along with a gum or nasal spray. Talk to your doctor about which product to use.

How will it change my life?

You will reduce your risk of coronary heart diseases and developing cancer. Also, your physical appearance changes and it can be clearly seen on your face.

7. Desire to overspend

How does it affect me?

Unless you want to end up like Rebecca Bloomwood (a shopping addict from the film, Confessions of a Shopaholic), know how overspending will lead you to debt. This bad habit is really hard to accept.

You’re more tempted to spend money without really thinking. Impulsive spending money today on something non-essential will make you penniless to spend tomorrow on something vital. More serious matters include depression, headaches, digestion troubles, aches and pains, ulcers.

At first, it might look like a very normal habit but before it will become a toxic habit break it.

What should I do about it?

Set a limit on your budget. Keep an eye on the minor expenses as they can be huge in number. Don’t be fooled by the word ”FREE”, read the bottom line. Switch to cash instead of a card, and limit using your cards. Set small goals and start saving.

How will it change my life?

You’re okay with not buying anything at times. You start buying only for the right decisions. You get good-quality items that you actually need. You’ll be able to sleep better, stop overeating, and have fewer headaches.

8. Binge eating

How does it affect me?

Do you tend to overeat if you feel bored or you have nothing to do? Really? Listen to yourself again. You are just fueling your emotional mood swings. If you eat more than enough, you’ll definitely put on the excess weight and then start worrying about your social image.

Even if you overlook this minor problem, you’re still messing up your body’s natural hunger. Moreover, if you’re binging on junk food very often, you’re drowning your body with high cholesterol and high blood sugar. You must have to find a solution of this bad habit and quit it.

What should I do about it?

It’s not easy to say, “NO” to delicacy, but you can at least try, right?

Listen to your body- are you really hungry? Try to understand the different feelings- when you’re actually hungry and when you get hungry by just looking at a mouth-watering dish in front of you.

If there’s a big party later in the night, please do not skip lunch. If you’ve still feasted a lot, especially if you gulped down all the tasty food too quickly, do not sink into the couch. It will only hinder your digestion.

How will it change my life?

Just try to understand your body’s hunger signals. After you’re able to control your food cravings, it is very important to monitor how much you’re eating and what you’re eating. You’ll soon see yourself in a healthy weight.

9. Excessive TV watching

How does it affect me?

Thanks to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services, almost every other person you know is addicted to a TV series. There is absolutely no harm in watching TV for some time, but when you overdo it, there are innumerable downsides.

You are detached from the real world and are deceived by the perfect unreal world portrayed on screen. Also, a heavy influence of changed behaviors can be seen in children, such as less physical activity, damage in eyesight, frequent headaches. A bad habit like this sometimes twisted as a hobby. But you should quit this bad habit as possible.

What should I do about it?

Don’t watch on the TV just because you want to surf the channels. Turn it on if you have something specific to watch. Set a time limit, half an hour is advisable. Read a book or engage in some physical activity which will maintain your overall health.

How will it change my life?

In today’s high-tech world we need to tame gadget guru to make a tech-life balance in our life. You will get extra time to do some other things. You will actually talk to your family instead of just meeting them day and night. You’ll get enough sleep, finally.

10. Staying unorganized

How does it affect me?

Everybody’s mom has said this to their kids at least once- “what is all this mess, please clean up”. But it is actually a good advice because moms are always right! First of all staying messy is directly related to you losing all the things you need, especially when you’re in a hurry.

We all have this bad habit. But not arranging your own stuff will lead an aimless life. So break your bad habit to stay unorganized.

What should I do about it?

Set a place to keep everything. First and foremost, have the guts to get rid of the stuff that you don’t use anymore. Learn how to fold clothes so that they fit in your drawers. Arrange all your folders according to topics or subjects. If nothing works, turn up the music and just start from one corner of the room, and voila! in no time your room will be as clean as a new pin.

How will it change my life?

These small changes can make a big difference. Everything is in its proper place, so you don’t have to waste your valuable time. The idea is to just get started and you’ll be through in no time.

I know it’s easier said than done to change. But if you follow the right steps, you will be able to transform yourself.

Are there any such toxic habits that you find difficult to break?

Or have you overcome a previous practice which was unhealthy for you?

How did you break your own bad habit in past?

Please share your story in the comments below.

Have a Healthy  Life!!!