Many habits are harmless: knitting, sewing, writing, doll making, pottery throwing, and more. However, there are habits that may seem harmless, but that are really shortening your life.
Careful What You Eat
A lot of people eat meat and dairy on a daily basis. However, a study that was published in Cell Metabolism found that too much of meat and dairy products can shorten a life for a lot of reasons, and increases the risk of cancer. The rates can be compared to those that smokers see, which is not good since smokers have a higher rate of cancer - particularly lung cancer. The study had a flaw, though: it failed to distinguish between the farm-raised and factory-raised meats. However, it is clear that the consumption of too much meat and dairy is a problem in today's world.
Stand Up!
Another habit that is slowly shortening your life is sitting too much. Not only are diabetes and heart disease reasons to be concerned if you find yourself sitting too often, but a study of 43 different studies shows that smoking and unhealthy food consumption also comes with sitting too much. Risks of cancer are also higher for those that sit too long - especially colon, lung and endometrial cancer.
Drinking
An obvious habit that people seem to refuse to see as harmful is drinking. Don't believe that drinking can shorten your life? A DUI (or driving under influence charge) can affect many things about your life that includes hefty punishments from the law. Drinking also shortens the life of your liver - an important organ that processes alcohol and stores insulin. Without insulin, blood sugar levels plummet. Not only that, but alcohol is a depressant, and it can cause dangerous activity that you most likely won't remember the next morning. Byron Roope, a Sacramento DUI lawyer, advises to seek help if you have a drinking problem before you end up in a situation that puts you drunk behind the wheel or at risk of liver failure.
Lack of Sleep
Insomnia is another habit that might be shortening your life. Too little sleep can bring about a decreased immune function (IE, your immune system doesn't function right), heart disease, high blood pressure, and even diabetes. If you have trouble sleeping, try dimming the lights before you're ready to go to bed. Turn off the electrics for an hour or two before you go to bed (since the bright lights can trick your brain into thinking it's still day time), and try taking a warm shower or hot bath to help yourself sleep.
…And Even Too Much Sleep
Too much sleep is another issue. It may be a sign of depression or other ailments that are shortening your life span. Be careful to hover somewhere in the amount of sleep you know you need to be able to function properly - no more and no less. Of course, life throws you curves, but be prepared to stay around that mark each day.
While these habits shorten your life span, there is plenty you can do to battle them. Try getting up and walking around the room a couple of times each hour if you work at home and are sitting all day. If you drink too much, try to drink less to start. If you sleep too much, try using an alarm system - make sure they're loud enough to wake you up! If you don't sleep enough, try to make the evening less eventful on a daily basis. The possibilities are endless and all you have to do is look for those opportunities in order to take advantage of them. If you do so and cut some of these habits from your life, you're on your way to keeping your life span from shortening, and possibly regaining a healthy lifestyle.