5 Bad Habits to Kick to Improve Your Health

We all have bad habits, but did you know they may be negatively impacting your health? Check out these five bad habits and learn how your quality of life could change as soon as you kick them:

Skipping breakfast

Do you often run late and skip breakfast? Skipping the most important meal of the day may not be worth the time saved. Not only can doing this effect your weight, hormonal health, memory, and cognition, it may also negatively impact your overall mood. According to the National Institutes of Health, skipping breakfast may lead to rapid heart rate, shakiness, dizziness, headaches, and overall weakness. Next time you are in a hurry, think of your health, and at least grab a high-protein snack on the way out!

Smoking

When it comes to quitting smoking, every minute counts. Quitting smoking will improve your health over time, but you actually benefit within 20 minutes after smoking your final cigarette! Immediate benefits include lowered heart rate and blood pressure, improved circulation and lung function, as well as a lowered carbon monoxide level in your blood. Long term benefits include a decrease in coughing and shortness of breath, as well as improved functionality of the lungs. Quitting smoking also greatly lowers your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, larynx, and pancreas.

Sugar

Sugar is not one of the main food groups! While kicking a sugar habit isn’t easy, the short and long term benefits can greatly improve your health and quality of life. Benefits of excluding sugar from your diet include fewer wrinkles, healthier skin, decreased weight and belly fat, and higher energy levels. Not only will you not have to deal with the “sugar crash,” but quitting sugar may also lessen your chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

Caffeine

Getting ready to fill that second cup of coffee? You, along with thousands of others, may not realize how harmful caffeine addiction is to us. First is the financial impact, as you can save hundreds of dollars a year by avoiding caffeine. Next, caffeine has a half-life of around 5 hours, so consuming caffeine too close to bedtime can affect sleep cycle. Additionally, avoiding caffeine may lower your blood pressure, decrease anxiety, improve teeth health, and aid in weight loss. Next time you reach for that coffee cup, replace it with a bottle of water!

Sleep Deprivation

We’ve all pulled an all-nighter once or twice, but even one night of disrupted sleep may cause immediate negative effects. Skipping a night of sleep may lead to difficulty thinking, mood changes, decreased concentration, a weakened immune system, and high blood pressure. Along with irritability, lack of sleep may also affect your energy level and ability to maintain a healthy weight since we are less motivated to work out when exhausted. Even lying down for a few hours beats an entire night with no sleep!