13 Habits We Mistakenly Considered Harmless!

What many people don’t realize is the fact that our lifestyle habits could be the main cause of our poor health. While common issues of sleeping late, eating junk food, excess sugary food and processed meat is well known as the things that impact our health in a bad way, there are several other habits which we don’t usually consider harmful at all. Yet it is these habits that can cause problems for us like ill health or infections. These could seem harmless habits, but they could have not so harmless results. Here are 13 of them.

1. Stifling a sneeze is extremely bad for you

If you stifle a sneeze, it is going to cause problems for your blood vessels, brain and respiratory system. Your esophagus could also get damaged. When we sneeze, it is the body’s way of ridding our respiratory system of bacteria, dust, foreign bodies and viruses.

What happens if you stifle a sneeze?

Stifling a sneeze prevents the body from eliminating bacteria. To give you an idea of the scenario within your body, imagine shooting a gun but blocking the barrel, what would happen. The same thing could happen to your nasal passage where the power of the sneeze returns into the nasal passages and spread to through the Eustachian tube to even hurting your hearing. It will increase blood pressure and you stand a huge risk of damaging the entire esophagus.

2. Using toothpicks

While this has somehow become the norm worldwide and a practice of picking ones teeth after eating, it is absolutely bad for you. While toothpicks cannot damage your enamel, they are bad for the gums and can result in infection and bleeding. Instead of using a toothpick use dental floss instead.

3. Sleeping on the pillow face down

This is another bad habit that many people do. It impedes your breathing, hampers blood circulation and is bad for the spinal cord and facial skin. Sleeping with face down makes it difficult to breathe and you may be taking in less oxygen which affects your circulatory system. The neck is also placed in an awkward position risking damage to the vertebrae. Doctors also say that sleeping in such a position can also cause wrinkles that will be permanent.

4. Trying to shell seeds with your teeth

This is a very bad habit that can damage your teeth. Sunflower seeds may be tasty and beneficial for you but shell them with your hands and not with teeth. Moreover, those who suffer from gall bladder problems should avoid this completely. You should also know that the calorie value of 100 grams is 500kcal.

5. Chewing on something solid

Biting a pencil or your pen while at work is also very harmful to the teeth, gums and mouth. Those who are habituated in doing so using pencils, pens, paperclips and other items should stop as it will damage the enamel of your teeth. One shouldn’t also try opening soda bottles and beer bottles with your teeth, chew hard nuts or ice cubes and lollipops. You are also at risk of a tooth infection when doing so.

6. Postponing going to the bathroom

This is extremely dangerous for the health of your bladder, urinary system, intestines and kidneys. By holding up your urine, your intestines and bladder will get bloated to the point of requiring medical attention. This could also cause injury to your muscles and put you at risk of urinary tract infection or constipation.

7. Don’t wash your hair with hot water

If the water turns out to hot while you shower, it’s not a good thing. There are many who love using excessively hot water and this should be avoided. It can cause headaches and even dizziness. Hot water will also make your hair get dirty faster by stimulating the sebaceous glands on the scalp.

8. Touching your face and rubbing your eyes

You never know what your hands may have touched, so rubbing your eyes with your hands isn’t advisable. You can contract several types of infection such as herpes virus, acne and more. Rubbing your eyes could also put you at risk of conjunctivitis especially when you travel outside and catch hold of objects that have also been held by those with the same infection. Conjunctivitis may last for only five days bit it is a nasty infection causing redness, itching, poking, burning and tearing.

9. Chewing too much bubble gum

When you are habituated to chewing bubble gum, it can affect the teeth, stomach and believe it or not, your short-term memory. The chewing movement stimulates excess gastric juice production. This can also lead to gastric ulcers. Chewing gum can harm your teeth and dental filings. While it has been shown to help tasks requiring long-term observation, a Cardiff University study found that it impairs your short-term memory.

10. Reading while lying in bed

This of course, is done by almost everyone because many of us like to get cozy in bed with a book especially if you like reading. This impairs the eyes, spinal cord and even the skin. When you read in bed follow these guidelines.

  • Keep the book a safe distance away from your eyes
  • Make sure there is adequate light on the book to avoid damaging vision
  • Don’t strain your neck or curve your back
  • Don’t read while lying on your side or lying on your belly. This damages the spinal cord.

Besides causing problems, these positions will also cause permanent wrinkles on your neck.

11. Don’t lick small wounds and blow on them

When you lick wounds or blow on them, you are impairing the healing process which will take longer. A Harvard University study found that no less than 600 microorganisms reside in people’s mouths including streptococci and staphylococci. The blood coagulating on a wound would give them the perfect place to breed. Always wash a wound with soap and water and apply medicine instead.

12. Whispering

This will come as something very surprising but whispering can actually damage your vocal cords and larynx. A study showed that people usually strain their vocal cords when trying to whisper and this increases the chance of micro-injuries to the larynx.

13. Using a phone while in the bathroom

Don’t we all do this? But, this is a bad and unhygienic habit. It isn’t just the phone that you should be taking to the bathroom, this also goes for newspapers and books too. When you sit on the toilet for more than 5 minutes, it builds up pressure in the veins. Another problem is that when you take your cell phone into the bathroom, the phone becomes another home for germs and this also helps spread bacteria. But, don’t forget, you have to keep putting your cell phone near your mouth to speak.

14. Using a cotton swab for nose hygiene

This is an absolute no-no. However, it must be noted that sometimes a cotton swab becomes an option only in an emergency or when absolutely required because that is better than using your finger or any solution. In the case of rhinoplasty, only a cotton swab can help clear the nose of mucus. Don’t blow your nose because it can lead to bleeding and damage.

In the event you need to wash your nose with a solution, just soak a cotton swab in it and cover the inside of your nostrils with it. But always be extra careful when using a cotton swab in your nose because if you ever push it too far up, it can cause a lot of damage. It is best done by a doctor or a professional.