On average, Americans live shorter lives than people in other high-income countries.
Despite being one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the US is far from being the healthiest.
Part of the reason is that many of us do things that are known to be bad for your health. We have habits that can have a major impact on our physical wellbeing.
Read on as we look at some of the worst things that you can do for your body.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep is vital for our health. Unfortunately, far too many of us don’t get enough of it.
If you regularly don’t get enough sleep, it can increase your risk of serious conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Not only that, but proper sleep can boost your immune system, improve your mental health, and even increase your sex drive.
We should all try to get at least eight hours of quality sleep every night. The best way to do so is to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
Not Drinking Enough Water
We all know that we need water to survive, but water plays a much more important role than just keeping us alive.
Water helps to protect the organs in your body, is important for transporting oxygen to your muscles, and helps to wash unwanted toxins from your body. It can’t do any of these things if there’s not enough of it inside you.
The recommendation is that you have about 15.5 cups a day if you’re a man, and 11.5 cups if you’re a woman.
Drugs and Alcohol
Drugs and alcohol aren’t crazily harmful if used in moderation, but that’s rarely how we use them.
Excessive use of alcohol can lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, depression and anxiety, diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers. Drugs can lead to stroke, heart attacks, blackouts, liver damage, and can also put you at risk of HIV and hepatitis.
If you’re concerned about your own alcohol or drug use, you can learn more info here about withdrawing from drugs.
Sitting Down Too Much
Sitting down for more than 11 hours a day increases your risk of premature death by 40%.
Yet many of us sit for that long, if not longer, every day. We spend eight hours at work sitting behind a desk, sit in our cars to drive home, and then sit down to binge-watch the latest boxset.
Consider using a standing desk if you spend a lot of time sitting at work, and make sure you take a break to stand up at least once an hour.
Stop Doing Things That Are Bad for Your Health
We’re all guilty of doing things that we know are bad for your health at some point. The key message is to try and cut out the things that cause the most damage. This list above gives you a good idea of where to start.
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