If you try to list all the causes of stress, it will become too long to count! Besides, our everyday habits also contribute to the development of stress and prevent us from living a fulfilling life. The ten most significant of them are in front of you.
Habits That Spoil Your Health
Many people blame anxiety and stress for being the main culprits of poor health conditions. But there are many other factors that lead to stress. Some of them include:
#1. Lack Of Sleep And Late Sleep
Many people have a habit of diving into a comfortable bed and watch the Netflix series. They think they will only watch a couple of episodes. But then the time gets far past midnight, and they are watching the twelfth episode in a row. Of course, tomorrow in the office, you will drink a couple of cups of coffee and obviously have a fight with someone.
But remember that chronic lack of sleep is a direct path not only to depression and stress but also to other dangerous diseases. Just as an airplane starts landing long before landing, preparation for sleep should begin two hours before the desired sleep.
Sleep is a delicate and unpredictable matter. The best way to lose it is to think about getting up early tomorrow and needing to fall asleep as soon as possible. The opposite helps. Tell yourself you don’t want to sleep and just lie there with your eyes closed. Allow yourself to be comfortable and not think about anything.
#2. Caffeine
A cup of coffee in the morning helps to wake up, and a couple of cups at work help not to fall asleep. In the afternoon, of course, it helps digestion, and in the evening in a pleasant company creates coziness. Coffee is definitely not worth overusing.
Excess caffeine increases anxiety, cortisol (stress hormone) levels, adrenaline production, and blood pressure, which makes a person more susceptible to stress and disrupts sleep. Scientists have estimated the daily intake of caffeine at 300 milligrams, which equates to roughly two average cups of coffee. Or you can completely abandon coffee and replace it with other products.
#3. Excessive Exercising
Exercising is healthy, but more does not mean better. Excessive physical activity will not make you healthier, rather the opposite. Overload may lead to sleep disturbance, emotional instability, and hormonal changes in women. Weakness and malfunction of the immune system are the bonus of excessive workout.
Instead of running vigorously, go for a walk in the park or replace an hour in the gym on a stationary bike. The alternation of loads helps the body to recover faster and replenish the glycogen in the muscles. This glycogen is precisely responsible for performance and endurance.
#4. Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks, even in small quantities, provoke the release of cortisol, which will cause depletion of the nervous system, chronic fatigue, and loss of muscle mass. Depressive moods, anxiety, and sleep disturbances are also guaranteed. If you are not yet able to completely eliminate alcohol, then it is better to limit it – no more than one drink a day.
People who adhere to this limit are less prone to outbursts of anger and depression. But if you are unable to limit the intake of alcohol, try getting help from an expert. For your satisfaction, learn about the rehabilitation process first, and then choose a recovery plan.
#5. Noise
Whether it’s an ambulance siren, a boss screaming, or a coworker coughing, all these sounds have an eerie effect on the nervous system, creating a sense of anxiety and tension. The more unpleasant and unexpected the noise, the more destructive it has an effect on the body. Cortisol goes off the scale at such moments.
And it’s enough to endure it. Carpets and blackout curtains absorb sounds, and the audibility of parties behind the wall decreases significantly. But wooden floors and bare walls, on the contrary, will reflect the sound waves.
After you’ve draped everything, it’s time to put on some calm and relaxing music. It neutralizes the effect of unpleasant noises and tunes into a peaceful mood. And if nothing helps at all, then buy earplugs and let the whole world be silent.
#6. Convenience Foods And Fast Food
Food is the fuel, thanks to which a person exists, and the quality of life directly depends on it. If the fuel is low-grade and looks more like food waste, then the result will not be appropriate. So, food with a high content of sugar, trans fats, and a minimum of nutrients creates an additional stress load and provokes the production of cortisol.
The result is diseases such as heart attacks and diabetes. Focus on almonds, pecans, and walnuts; they promote the synthesis of serotonin (the hormone of happiness). Also, eat the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish as it reduces irritability and anxiety.
#7. Rigid Diet
You need to control calorie content, but the main thing is not to go to extremes. Remember, being obsessed with diet and fear of breaking it has nothing to do with proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. The consequences of fanatical study of labels and rigid restrictions are neuroses and obsessions. And these, in turn, easily transform into anorexia and bulimia.
Striving for health and a lean body is fine, but completely depriving yourself of the pleasure of food is a crime. Regardless of your goals, having a brownie or a slice of cake when you really want to is priceless. And no remorse, you live for happiness, and it consists of enjoying every moment.
Take Away
Stress may be the major cause of poor health conditions for many, but we, through our bad habits, aggravate it. The aforementioned habits contribute to the development of chronic stress that then lead to several diseases. Thus, avoid the habits listed above to live your life to the fullest.
