Disclosure: In any review for a product or service, products or compensation may have been provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” and "Terms of Use" tabs for more information.

Everyone knows how to do certain things, such as avoiding eating too many sweet snacks and exercising at least a bit every day. These – and other – activities will keep you active and healthy. Even if you’re doing all you can to be healthy, you may find it difficult to shed weight or that you’re out of puff when you go up the stairs. This might be due to other behaviors you carry out on a regular basis without you knowing it — those habits could be causing you major difficulties. Here are a few examples of the worst things you can do to your body, some of which won’t even seem to be so terrible – some of this you’ll do yourself.

Hitting The Snooze Button

To get the most out of your sleep, aim for seven to nine hours every night. If you sleep for fewer than six hours or more than ten hours, your health will suffer – too much or too little sleep may lead to type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, among other horrible diseases and chronic disorders.

So getting enough sleep to begin with is vital, but so is not hitting the snooze button. It can be tempting to hit it once (or twice, or even three times) when you just don’t feel like getting out of bed to start the day, but the sleep you fall back into won’t be healthy for you; in fact, your body will be on high alert anticipating the next high-pitched screech of the alarm, and you may wake up feeling less rested than you should. If you get up the first time you hear your alarm, you’ll feel more alert and productive. This will become a habit after a time, so it’s worth a go.

Drinking Too Much 

Those who drink more than two alcoholic drinks each day are far more likely to develop cancer (including mouth, neck, and throat cancer), have high blood pressure, and even develop cirrhosis of the liver. You probably won’t realize it’s happening, but it is potentially slowly making you very sick. 

It is preferable to consume less alcohol and live much longer. Try to have at least two alcohol-free days each week to give your body a chance to reset. It’s also important not to binge drink since it adds to weight gain and may put you in unsafe circumstances where accidents are significantly more likely.

Not Going Outside 

If you don’t spend enough time outdoors, you won’t get enough sunlight, and if you don’t get enough sunlight, you won’t get enough vitamin D, which is terrible for your health. It’s simple to go out and about in the summer, but it may be much more difficult in the winter. If you really can’t get outside, taking a vitamin D supplement can help improve your vitamin D levels and keep you considerably healthier than doing nothing at all. 

Symptoms of vitamin D insufficiency include depression, fatigue, and general aches and pains.

Eating Processed Foods 

You should eat as little packaged food as possible. We’re all aware that it can be a lifesaver on rare occasions. If we’re pressed for time, we can use the microwave to whip up a meal in no time. The most essential thing to remember is not to do this on a regular basis since these meals are packed with salt, sugar, fats, and preservatives.

Eating freshly prepared food is preferable since you have complete control over what goes into each meal and how much of each ingredient you use; just look at this honey cornbread recipe to see what we mean. 

You may not be able to cook every day, but if you believe you won’t have the time, try to cook more than you need when you do have time; this is called batch cooking. You can prepare these meals in bulk, freeze them, and then reheat them as needed.

Wearing Ill-Fitting Shoes 

The wrong size of shoes can lead to a slew of problems. The most noticeable is foot pain, but since your feet are the basis of your whole body, discomfort in this area can quickly spread to other parts of your body, even reaching your neck in some circumstances.

As a result, it’s crucial to select your footwear thoughtfully, ensuring that it fits properly and that you can walk easily in it. If necessary, bring a spare pair of shoes with you to a special event, for example, so you don’t have to wear possibly unpleasant shoes all day.