For health-conscious geeks, they do everything in their power to keep themselves healthy. They avoid vices and take sleep and exercise seriously. They even indulge in the latest diets that promise the best health results. But sometimes, we need to let go and be able to enjoy ourselves. Like what many experts always say, too much of the same old good thing can also do you bad,
If your goal this year is to take better care of your health and wellness, then we got some great news for you. Many people think they got everything covered. But in reality, indulging in the following habits can actually do your health and sanity more good than bad.
Doing Nothing
People think doing nothing is always a bad thing. Some would say we are just procrastinating or are simply too lazy to actually stay productive. But then, science says otherwise.
As it turns out, doing nothing can have many health benefits. Turning off all distractions enables you to get lost in your thoughts. In a world where we have 24/7 access to virtually everything, we could all use that uninterrupted time to do nothing.
When our subconscious is free from any problems or engagements, our brain gets the chance to rest. That downtime can help in boosting our creativity, gain perspective, and even ease our stress and worries. Remember that effort does not always translate to effectiveness.
Fidgeting
Fidgeting is another way of our brain doing nothing. Sometimes, stress and anxiety can cause fidgeting. Fidgeting can also mean attention problems.
There are other times when fidgeting can be good for you. For one, fidgeting helps relieve stress. It helps people sharpen their focus, even if others find such behaviors rather annoying.
According to a study, fidgeting while sitting down has the potential to prevent arterial disease. This is since it helps increase blood flow to areas that are starting to have impaired endothelial function. Such a simple behavior helps the body fight the harmful effects of sitting for long periods of time.
There is also a reason why many people, young or old, are into what we call fidget toys. These toys were initially for kids with special needs that require sensory input in a less distracting manner. But now, many are embracing fidget toys because these help them better focus while reducing their stress and anxiety.
Retail Therapy
Most people can’t control themselves once they start shopping. Having a credit card or two makes it even harder to control yourself when you are out on a shopping spree. Even if you haven’t got the cash to pay for things, you can simply swipe and worry about the financial consequences later on.
But then, not all retail therapies are bad. As a matter of fact, many use shopping as a stress reliever. As long as you don’t go overboard and learns to control yourself, shopping can actually be good for you.
Shopping feels good because it simply feels good to buy what you want and need. Of course, there is a thin line between retail therapy and compulsive shopping. Experts suggest to shop only for the things you need and can actually make your life better.
For instance, you have a small apartment, and cleaning and organizing is never your forte. Aside from shopping for cleaning materials and getting rid of your extra stuff, consider buying items that will make it less messy and more organized. For most shoppers, this usually means choosing to buy an ottoman to stash your extra reading materials or blankets or a vertical shelf to store your trinkets.
Swearing
Some people don’t appreciate people who curse. Others associate swearing with simply an intense feeling of anger and regret. No matter how negative swearing may sound, studies show swearing can help with boosting your health and sanity.
For one, swearing can be a fast way to relieve pain. Some people can’t help but indulge in profanities whenever they use obscene language. As it turns out, swearing can interrupt painful stimuli, thus alleviating some pain.
Cursing acts as a great way to distract yourself from the pain while alleviating emotional arousal. An experiment also shows it helps with increasing one’s pain threshold. This is since obscenity can nullify the link between pain and perception.
It’s amazing how these four habits can actually do you more good than bad when done the right way. Note that balance means everything. This list is not meant to encourage you to always do nothing, swear, fidget, or go on a shopping spree all day. Responsible retail therapy, swearing and fidgeting only when necessary, and doing nothing whenever you need a break can actually help you go about your day.