We have all heard about the habits and routines that are essential for the growth of our mental health. But what about the habits that are detriments to our well-being? Without further ado, here are the five habits that you should avoid for the sake of healthy well-being.

 Bad Posture 
Do you slouch while you are walking or sitting down? If this has been part of your daily routine, it would be best if you stop it now! A study published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry revealed that bad posture is correlated with negative moods.

The researchers of this study found that people who walk with their shoulders slouched are more prone to negative thinking. Moreover, they have found that people who walk while slouching experience worse moods than others who walk with straight backs.

Being a Couch Potato 
Exercise is your well-being’s best friend! So, if you want to avoid bad well-being, you need to live an active lifestyle. A study published in the JAMA Psychiatry revealed that people who are less active are prone to depressive symptoms. However, these depressive symptoms can be reduced by 6% if they exercise.

But there’s more! Another study revealed that people who aren’t active enough (those who exercise less than 150 minutes per week) are most likely to die early. This fact also applies to people who sit for more than seven hours a day.

Getting Inadequate Amount of Sleep 
Late-night sleep has been part of the nightly routine of many people. But that doesn’t mean that you should emulate this practice. Dr. Diedra L. Clay of the Bastyr University warns that sleep affects your overall body functioning and emotional and mental capabilities. This is because sleep is your body’s time to regenerate without any system malfunctions.

So, naturally, depriving yourself with sleep is one way of deteriorating your own well-being.

Always on your mobile phone 

With today’s age, the use of mobile phones is almost as natural as breathing. But, many experts warn of the excessive use of mobile phones on our emotional well-being. If pay attention to your phone and other virtual devices too much, your well-being may be in grave danger.

According to Dr. Michael Mantell, a behavioral sciences coach, the use of mobile phones has impacted our attention span. It has also impacted our demands for immediate gratification and expectations for connection.  For this reason, Mantell states: “This impacts our ability and interest in sitting in the same room with someone, and actually talk with people face-to-face."

The immediate effect of this impact is our worsening relations with other people, which, in turn, affect our well-being.

Taking no breaks 
Being industrious is one thing, but working literally 24/7 is another. Contrary to popular belief, working non-stop isn’t productive. A study published in the Cognition journal found that people who take breaks in between work are more productive than those who do not.

But there’s another catch. Another study revealed that people who take a break by going outside are less prone to rumination. They have also shown to have less neutral brain activity in the part that is linked to mental illness.

References: 

http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/health/5-bad-work-habits-to-kick/view-all/
https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20866947,00.html#you-don-t-actually-talk-to-anyone-0

Contributed by: Allison Julianne Macasaet, a freelance writer on the side, a student of international relations on the other. Interests include fantasy books, international relations, and lifestyle.