There are things we do everyday that are lowering our life spans--and we don't even know it. Well--maybe we do. Here are ten activities, some of which seem quite normal, that are shortening your life.
1. Sitting on the Job: Sitting is the new smoking, as written in another post. Study after study are finding that being sedentary on the job can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and even cancer. There is thus a growing demand for and interest in stand-up desks, with many different ways to make one yourself.
2. Sleeping Too Much: Getting too little sleep isn't good, but neither is sleeping too much. If you're sleeping nine hours per night or more, you could be increasing your risk of heart disease. Moreover, sleeping too much can be a sign of psychological issues, such as depression. However, napping during the day--even up to two hours--can profoundly increase your health.
3. Staring At the Screen: Too much screen time, from computers to television, can increase your risk of heart attack immensely. Here's are a few strategies: 1) meet with others at work--engage in more quick meetings, 2) Get information from books and periodicals instead of always defaulting to the internet, 3) Go for a walk during the day--yes, at work! Do it. Take your breaks outside, if you can, for a stroll. It'll clear your head, and pump oxygen up into your brain, thus invigorating your body and stimulating your mind.
4. Taking Medication for Non-Life Threatening Illness: If you're taking anti-anxiety medication, or other pharmaceuticals, you could be decreasing your lifespan. However, by not taking them, if you have a psychological disorder, could be detrimental also. You know your body, and the extent to which you need to be under medication. If you are planning to get off an anti-anxiety or anti-depression medication, you must first consult a physician who can put you on a regimen for slowly decreasing your dosage.
5. No Sense of Humour: Laughter is a wonderful stimulant that can lower stress and decrease your cortisol levels (the hormone that rushes from the kidneys to the brain when you're stressed out or anxious). If you're under stress, or feeling overworked and burned out, here's a great idea: get your spouse, partner, or friends, and watch a good comedy.
6. Long Commutes: Spending and hour and more per day in the car stuck in traffic means that you have less time for those activities that can lower your stress and build your body and mind, like time with your family, exercise, solitude, and sleep. I have heard stories of people commuting two hours only one way to their jobs. If this is you, consider a) finding a job closer to home, or b) if there is another location closer to your house, try to relocate.
7. Eating Poorly: We all know this: garbage in, garbage out. Too much processed foods, red meat, fast foods, fat and sugars can lead to obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Watch your sodium levels too--that is one of the silent killers. If you have a diet problem, consider a dietician, getting into a regimen at your local YMCA, or simply get a book on healthy eating and try out the recipes.
8. Being Anti-Social: There have been some studies to show that drinking alcohol can actually have a good effect on health, not because of the drink itself, but because you're more likely to be social when drinking, which is of great importance to one's health. If you've been holed up at work or home, get out with friends to a movie or dinner, laugh, get out for a walk together or play a sport.
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