Common habits that negatively affect your mental health

Doomscrolling

Also referred to as doomsurfing, The New York Times’ Kevin Roose described the modern phenomenon as “falling into deep, morbid rabbit holes, agitating myself to the point of physical discomfort, erasing any hope of a good night’s sleep.”

We continue scrolling for a narrative or a piece of positive news that never comes, trying to learn everything we can about something spinning out of our control, and that causes enough mental fatigue without adding untrue "facts" into the mix.

Looking at the mirror every morning

We can’t help it, we all occasionally fall victim to bullying ourselves in the mirror. But when you start your day with how you look instead of giving yourself time to figure out how you feel and what makes you happy, your entire mood can sour.

Keeping your phone volume on or buzzing

Notifications have been shown to trigger a release of dopamine, and excessive smartphone use can cause a form of addiction, as users constantly check for updates and fear missing out.

Scheduling too much

Overwhelming your days has become linked with a “productive” lifestyle, but it can actually harm your productivity. It mentally and physically fatigues you, making it harder to do what you need to because you’re not functioning at full capacity.

Eating in front of the TV

When you eat without focusing on your food, your mind struggles to appreciate the taste or recognize your fullness, and studies have shown it leads to overeating. This repeated pattern cognitively links the two and can seriously harm your food habits, which lead to increased stress and low self-esteem.

Preferring online to offline relationships

Sending a text instead of calling, or an email instead of going to someone’s office, are commonplace these days. But as isolation and loneliness have become a global health crisis, research has shown that we need to talk to people in real life to boost our happiness.

Poor posture

The simple change of sitting up straight can reduce symptoms of depression, according to a study published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry. Good posture can reportedly increase positive attitude and reduce fatigue.

Running over tomorrow’s to-do list before bed

It’s tempting to organize your day before you go to sleep, but clinical psychologist Charles Schaeffer told Bustle that this causes anxiety, which hinders sleep and then reduces your ability to regulate negative emotions, leading to more anxiety.

Unhealthy snacking

Eating better can actually boost your mood, as your gut health has been scientifically linked to your mental health. Plus, avoiding things like too much sugar, caffeine, or processed foods will reduce your irritability and brain-fog.

Being sedentary

A sedentary lifestyle can seem unavoidable, but it hurts your waistline, your heart, and your mental health. We’ve all heard that regular exercise is one of the best mood-boosters, as it releases feel-good chemicals that suppress depressive chemicals, so now it’s time to do something about it.

Exercising too much or in bad form

Of course, there is an extreme to every good thing, and exercising to the point of exhaustion or in bad form can add a physical and mental strain. Don’t overwork your body and mind at the gym just because you overworked your body and mind sitting at a desk all day!

Not winding down for bed

Losing sleep for one or two nights can already make you feel grumpy, foggy, and unfocused, but chronic sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your mental health. Put away the screens an hour before bed, don’t have caffeine in the latter half of the day, and avoid stressful situations before you tuck in.