Cutting Down On Unhealthy Habits: Practical Tips

All of us have some form of habit that we’re not proud of, or that we wish we could get rid of. As humans, we are habitual, and habits don’t necessarily have to be bad. But a lot of the time, we get into a rhythm with a particular activity or way of life which just isn’t good for us. We’ve put together a list of some of the most common unhealthy habits with some advice on what you can do to stop them.

Stress Eating
This, as well as many other habits, is a sign of a greater issue. The chances are, if you find deep comfort in food, and find yourself overeating when bored or when you’re trying to switch off from a busy or overwhelming day, you may be stress eating. The key here is to identify what is causing you stress first and see if it’s possible to rectify that problem. Perhaps you’re not enjoying your job? If so, it may be time to look into changing things up and finding a new career path. It might also be worth seeking professional advice on this problem to really dig out the root cause. Once you’ve identified the issue, that doesn’t mean your habit will disappear though. This habit has been developed over time and so you’re going to have to spend time fixing that issue by maintaining some strong willpower. 

Excessive drinking 

Excessive alcohol use is an unhealthy habit worth eliminating, as it is disastrous for your physical and mental health. You risk developing various cancers, liver disease, brain damage, nervous system damage, heart disease, and stroke. Research also links excessive drinking to suicide and other self-harming activities. It can also cause domestic abuse, unemployment, broken relationships, and homelessness. 

Fortunately, you can overcome excessive drinking with the right steps. You can begin by limiting how much alcohol you consume, using the recommended guidelines. The NHS recommends that you don’t consume more than 14 units weekly, so keep this in mind. If you find it challenging to give up your drinking habits, leveraging alcohol treatment services will prove helpful. 

Nail Biting
Nail biting is a very common problem amongst children and adults and is incredibly unhygienic. Your nails are a haven for trapped bacteria and other unpleasant things and putting them in your mouth can make you quite ill if you’re not careful. This habit is also socially unappealing and can cause people to look unfavourably on you, even though it’s very common. Nails that have been bitten down are generally much shorter and in some extreme cases, can become scarred or disappear altogether, leaving your fingers looking unsightly. A great way of fighting this habit is by actually developing a brand-new habit to replace it, whether it’s a positive one or just unharmful. Consider getting yourself a stress ball or even have some gloves you can wear to help you turn away from this habit.   

Smoking
Arguably one of the worst habits for anybody is smoking. The act of smoking can severely damage every part of your body and can also hurt those around you. Your friends and family will likely be concerned for your wellbeing as a smoker and will be worried about the damage it can do to you. Not only that, but smoking can also harm those around you too, as second-hand smoke can cause the same illnesses in others, especially children. These illnesses range from heart and lung disease, and certain cancers. 

Furthermore, smoking is also detrimental to your dental health. Aside from teeth staining, it can also cause gum diseases and mouth cancer. So, make sure that you visit a dentist if you’re a smoker so they can check your dental health situation. If you don’t have one yet, you can search for phrases like “dentist near me kiln creek” or “dentist near me” on the internet to find one.

There are a few ways to beat this habit, but a popular one is to switch to a less damaging habit like vaping which have significantly fewer harmful chemicals in them, reducing your chance of contracting deadly diseases. Browse vaping kits from trusted companies like Superior Vapour to find a device that’s right for you. It’s also highly recommended that you speak to your doctor about quitting smoking as they can offer counseling and therapy for those that are finding it particularly difficult to give up. 

Eating Too Much Sugar
If you’ve got a particularly sweet tooth, you’ll likely know how challenging it can be to reduce your sugar intake. Your best bet here is to reduce your sugar consumption over time, and to not kick it out of your diet entirely or in too dramatic a fashion. Sugar actually has a large impact on our brain’s reward system and also has addictive qualities. Sugar triggers dopamine release, which is the chemical that is linked to our feelings of pleasure, and therefore can take a lot of adjusting when cutting down on these foods. Some people experience withdrawal symptoms, including headaches and irritability. There’s no easy way to do this, so that’s why it’s important to do so gradually. Have some willpower in finding low sugar, healthy snacks that are tasty and enjoyable to eat. Try developing other habits when you get cravings too, such as drinking water when you’re feeling peckish. 

Being Around Negative People
Some people struggle to build positive relationships and find themselves being drawn, time and time again into toxic, unfriendly environments with others. Whether these friends are constantly putting you down or talking trash about others, this environment can be seriously damaging to your mental health and wellbeing. It’s at times like this where you need to gather your most trusted friends and those that don’t make you feel this way, an inner circle if you will, and discuss your concerns with them. You might find that cutting the negative people out of your life to be very difficult however, so try to be honest with them as to what your concerns are. Try to remain diplomatic and remember that your wellbeing is more important here. Sentimentality can be one of the major components in keeping you in relationships and friendships that are unhealthy, so be strong here.