People Are Spilling The Tea On "Bad" Habits That Low-Key Contribute To A Better Life, And We Are Very, Very Here For It
If you're anything like me, you have a whole host of habits you've been told aren't good for you. I, for example, shake my leg and pick my nails. I know, I know.
But who determines whether or not a habit is "bad," and are some of them actually good for you? This was the question u/xLeonZai posed to r/AskReddit. Specifically, they wrote: "What counts as a bad habit, but it's actually good?"
The post received over 1,000 comments, many of which were fascinating and super validating.
Below are 22 of people's responses regarding habits that are considered "bad" but are secretly good for you.
Maybe you'll find one of your supposed "bad" habits on the list. I know I did...
1."Shaking or vibrating your leg when you have to be sitting for a long time gets the blood moving. It's better than being completely stationary for hours."
2."Crying actually helps ease pain, physically and emotionally."
"Yes, and I heard our tears contain stress hormones, so they are helping our body reduce cortisol! That’s why we 'feel better after a good cry.'"
3."Gaming. Studies have shown it improves problem-solving, critical thinking, multi-tasking, decision making, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, memory, and concentration."
"Most people who criticize games are the same people who scroll Instagram for just as much time per day.
Of the two, excessive gaming is much better than excessive social feed."
"Video games are proven to relieve stress and tension, and they're an acceptable outlet for your emotions without hurting real people."
4."Talking to yourself. Although it can be taken as a sign of loneliness, it can also help you concentrate and organize ideas."
"Talking to yourself is a great way to process your thoughts and make better decisions."
"Talking to yourself is seen as mentally ill, but it is mentally healthy and is more common in more intelligent people. I.e., it's a sign of intelligence, not of mental illness."
"If you do this in public, put on earphones or something. Also, set your phone to silent so you don’t look foolish if it rings."
5."Being lazy from time to time. Sleeping in. Just doing nothing. There are so many 'hustle' ads everywhere. My girlfriend and some of my friends fill so much of their schedules that there is barely any time to rest or enjoy a book or game. I have a pretty busy everyday life, so I always make sure to have at least 10 or more hours a week set aside to do nothing productive. Enjoy life, nature, friends, alone time, watch silly videos, play games."
"It’s funny. When I was younger, I had a ton of free time and always felt it was important to be productive and make use of it. I often felt a bit of guilt if I sat around for hours. Now, my days and weekends are filled with responsibilities, events, and things going on without me even explicitly trying to fill them, and I find that any time I have nothing to do feels amazing. If I get a day where I’m totally alone and nothing is planned, I will happily play eight hours of video games and not feel like a moment was wasted."
"'Time you enjoy wasting is not time wasted.'"
6."Taking a nap during lunch breaks. Some people look down on it, but I get a lot of energy from it."
7."Swearing. It turns out that letting a few choice words fly is a great way to reduce stress and even dull pain. So, really, you’re not cursing — you’re just practicing verbal therapy!"
8."Staying up late. Some people have different circadian rhythms, and it makes evolutionary sense that in order for a population to thrive, you couldn’t all be asleep at once."
9."Masturbation."
"I read that masturbation does actually help with sleep and relaxation. It's also a good stress reliever."
"Frequent masturbation might lower your odds of getting prostate cancer."
10."Cracking your knuckles. I do this all the time. It's completely harmless but can be loud, which can annoy people, especially if you do it without thinking. You also end up having to deal with people saying, 'It's bad for your fingers!'"
11."Procrastination."
"Diamonds are made under pressure 💎"
"I call it strategic patience, and it has paid off more times than I can count."
12."Going in the basement and breaking things. It's a good way to vent without having outbursts at others, and my cardboard box collection always fits in the recycling bin."
"I might need this one the next time I accidentally slip into the political side of social media."
13."Some people consider pacing a bad habit, but it can help with thinking."
14."Chewing gum. It reduces stress and improves your concentration."
"Sugar-free gum increases saliva production and improves oral health."
15."Taking psychedelics."
"Pretty soon, we’ll have enough research on this for it to be accepted!"
16."Drinking coffee."
"Plenty of 'health experts' say drinking coffee is bad for you and you should limit it. The data points completely in the opposite direction."
17."Being less than 100% productive at work. Pacing yourself is important for mental and physical health."
"We as a society glorify working so much that when someone has the habit of trying to do things with the minimum possible effort, they are called lazy instead of smart."
18."Eating red meat."
19."Cannabis can provide benefits such as pain relief, reduced anxiety, improved sleep, and increased appetite. It may also have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, enhance mood, and promote social interaction."
20."Fasting, specifically water fasting, which many of my peers call starving. There are many benefits to fasting, especially intermittent fasting. Look it up!"
21."Farting, because holding farts is among the unhealthiest thing forced on us by social pressure."
And lastly...
22."Sometimes, I binge-watch shows for hours, and people say it's a waste of time, but it helps me unwind and recharge. Afterward, I feel more relaxed and ready to tackle tasks with a fresh mind."
So, which of these supposed "bad" habits do you partake in? Do you disagree with any of these? Or, do you know of any other habits that get a bad rap but are ultimately beneficial that should be added to this list?
Let me know in the comments!
