The Worst Self-Care Habits You Need To Fight

 It’s the start of a new year and you might still be thinking about what you want to achieve this year. It’s been rough for a lot of us over the past couple of years, in particular, and, as a result, good self-care is necessary. However, it can be much harder to get yourself into a good place if you’re falling for some of the worst habits. Here, we’re going to look at some of the worst self-care habits you can have, why they’re so bad, and what you need to do to fight them.

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Staying inactive and indoors

Given that many of us are still avoiding crowded spots and working from home, it has never been easier to stay indoors or even in one seat for the majority of our day. However, this is one of the worst health habits that you can indulge in for a wide variety of reasons. The sedentary lifestyle is one of the leading causes of a variety of chronic health problems, from obesity to diabetes to back pain. Isolation and staying indoors, away from the light, can lead to a plethora of mental health problems. What’s more, vitamin D is vital for our bodies but not getting enough sunlight can lead to a deficiency, which might require supplements from providers like Now Foods to help you fight.

Neglecting your sleep

Another change in many lifestyles is the sudden freedom that we can experience in our daily schedules. While many people find themselves with a lot more free time due to more flexible work arrangements, it can also mess up your day, including your nighttime and how you get to sleep. Of course, this isn’t the only reason behind sleep deprivation, as both physical health issues and problems like stress can contribute to it. While looking at what you can do to start targeting the root cause of your sleep issues (with the help of a doctor) using tools like Headspace might be able to help you get off to bed at night.

Self-medicating

One of the most serious bad habits of all. Many of us will take on habits specifically to address issues like stress, anxiety, depression, and so on. But some of those approaches can be very unhealthy, especially when it comes to medicating ourselves with drink and/or drugs. This can even include taking prescription drugs more than you should. To that end, professional help is the single best approach to deal with a growing dependency problem, and services like Sunshine Behavioral Health can be some of the best to help you. If you’re worried that you’re growing too reliant on the substance of your choice, identifying that and getting help is a vital first step.

Reckless retail therapy

Giving yourself a little treat and enjoying the hit of dopamine that comes with getting something that you genuinely want is something that doesn’t need to be negative, whether it’s a new piece of clothing you love, a nice lunch, or a day out at the spa. However, it should be easy to see how retail therapy can get out of hand. Aside from being bad from your budget, it can lead to a shopping addiction that can become as much of an unhealthy coping habit as many forms of self-medication. Keeping a budget and strictly keeping to it can prevent you from dipping too deep into your money for retail therapy. Set some aside every time you get paid to indulge with, making sure that you’re treating yourself, but not too much.

Letting your inner voice get too negative

Many of us have an inner voice that will chime in to opine on what’s going on around us, what we’re doing, or how we’re feeling about ourselves. A little criticism, with the intention of recognizing and improving on our mistakes, is not a bad thing. However, a lot of people can get into a loop of being fiercely and unfairly critical of themselves. This can lead to some very negative mental feedback loops that can see you kicking yourself when you’re already down. Boosting your confidence levels is important, and it has to start with recognizing the good in you, the progress you’re making towards your goals, and the strengths that you might not often take the time to recognize.

With the habits above out of the way, you can focus on living a healthier lifestyle and taking better care of yourself. It can feel pretty necessary to do that, in order to make it through these odd times.