“What ‘habits’ are you talking about?”
“Meh, what can it hurt?”
When you cultivate a bad habit, it can be difficult to break. There are a couple of reasons for this:
- it’s entrenched into our neural networks, and
- we can be stubborn when confronted with our own wrongdoings.
In no way is this a knock on the individual – it’s a human-wide problem. We all do things that we know we shouldn’t do.
But this isn’t always the case. As you’ll read here, some habits are so ubiquitous and seemingly harmless that we normally don’t think of them as ‘habits’ at all. Nevertheless, they are – and they can be harmful. Some of them to our precious health.
In this article, we’re going to list off and discuss 11 simple, daily habits people do wrong. These habits are so simple and common that many – if not most – of us are guilty of committing each one at some point.
To wrap things up, we’re going to talk about a concept known as ‘effortless mindfulness.’ Let’s dig in!
The 11 Simple Daily Habits
Here are the 11 simple daily habits that people do wrong without realizing it.
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Using digital screens before bed
“Staring at smartphones before bed is a good idea,” said nobody ever.
Despite the commonsense idea to keep cell phones, tablets, and laptops out of one’s sleeping space, countless millions of people do it anyways.
This is a double whammy. First, it’s estimated that over 50 percent of adults worldwide don’t get enough sleep. The number jumps to over 60 percent in Western nations. Second, studies roundly demonstrate that blue light emission completely jacks with your body’s circadian rhythm. So, when you want to catch up on sleep, your body will have a harder time complying.
What to do:
[1] Stop using your phone or tablet at least one hour before the time you wish to sleep.
[2] Read a paperback book instead.
[3] Active the blue light or “night shift” feature of your phone or tablet.
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Defrosting meat at room temperature
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), thawing meat at room temperature or under hot water is not a good idea.
Products like eggs, poultry, cooked or raw meat, and other perishables must be kept at a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (~4.4 degrees Celsius) to prevent foodborne illness.
Moreover, says the USDA perishable foods should not be thawed on the counter or in hot water for longer than two hours. So, leaving a chicken out to thaw when you’re at work isn’t a good idea either.
What to do:
– Thaw your perishables using one of three methods – in cold water, the microwave, or the refrigerator.
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Drinking coffee first thing
Uh, now’s your chance to skip over this one, early birds. Okay, you (and this writer!) asked for it.
Apparently, the production of cortisol in the body is high in the morning. Normally, this would be considered a good thing. Cortisol does have the dubious title of “stress hormone,” after all.
However, this cortisol can serve as a viable source of energy in the morning. It also is a vital component of our circadian rhythm, which serves the role of ensuring that we fall asleep and wake up at a normal, set time every day.
Coffee – and caffeine in general – interferes with these cortisol functions. Our body begins to rely on caffeine to perform the energy-boosting functions previously reserved for the cortisol.
What to do (but you probably won’t!):
– Wait an hour or two before downing the java.
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Washing ‘prewashed’ greens
We wash our lettuce, celery, spinach, and other ‘greens’ for a good reason. Should we do the same with ready-to-eat produce?
The answer appears to be “No.” According to a 2007 study published in the journal International Association for Food Protection, re-washing ready-to-eat, prewashed greens increases the risk of contracting foodborne illness.
The reason is quite simple. Improper handwashing is the leading cause of foodborne illness, and most people don’t correctly wash their hands. Apparently, this risk is greater than the pre-washed greens being tainted.
What to do:
[1] Eat the greens out of the box
[2] Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water for two minutes before rinsing greens.
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Holding a sneeze
Um, don’t hold your nose and sneeze. Among the things that could happen:
– ruptured throat
– punctured eardrum
– air trapped in the chest
– cerebral aneurysm
In one instance, a 34-year-old man was hospitalized for seven days after clamping his mouth and nose during a sneeze. Doing so, ruptured his throat and caused air bubbles to enter the deep muscle tissues. Due to the swelling of the neck all the way to the ribcage, doctors had to feed him with by tube and administer IVs until it eased.
What to do:
Sneeze into a tissue or, if necessary, your hands.
