You probably know by now that bad habits can adversely affect your physical health. Overeating, poor sleeping patterns, not exercising, and so on, all come with serious health issues. But did you know that bad daily habits can also affect your emotional or mental health? Such habits can increase your risk of anxiety, depression, etc., making it difficult to live the fulfilled life you want. So, which habits affect your emotional health? Here are a few. 

1. Pursuing perfection

You probably didn’t see this one coming, but perfectionism (although it may have several advantages) can also affect your emotional health. While it may be a healthy habit to have, not making room for failures or trying to be perfect always means that you’ll be devastated when you “fall short,” causing you to undermine your efforts and experience even more stress. Pursuing perfection isn’t bad, but it should be measured. You need to give yourself room for improvement every day, accept that you will make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes. 

2. Bad posture

According to experts, cultivating the simple habit of sitting upright can reduce symptoms of depression. Various studies also suggest that good posture can improve your mood and boost your self-esteem. It also helps minimize early fatigue, increase positive attitude, and decrease self-focus in people with mild to moderate depression.  

3. Ignoring mild but recurring pain

Pain is your body’s way of letting you know that something is wrong and requires immediate attention. In most cases, people rush to the hospital only when they experience severe pain they cannot endure. However, mild pain is usually ignored- until it gets worse. No matter how mild the pain you feel in any part of your body, if it keeps recurring or chronic, you need to visit health experts like doctors or chiropractors. 

4. Not setting personal goals

Setting and achieving personal goals activates a person’s reward system. The process of achieving the goals you set for yourself can also have a huge impact on your mood and happiness. But just as you don’t want to pursue perfectionism, you also need to set realistic, achievable goals for yourself. That’s because the harder it is to reach your goals, the more frustrated or depressed you might be. 

5. Social distancing

Even if you’re an introvert, human beings are naturally social animals. Depriving yourself of any form of social contact can lead to social anxiety, depression, loneliness, and some other chronic health problems. Even if it’s impossible to meet people physically, use various tech solutions to connect with family, friends, and loved ones. 

6. Sleeping too little or too much

Sleeping too little or too much can significantly affect your mood. For example, not getting enough sleep can increase your risks of stress, anxiety, and depression. Sleeping for too long regularly can also be problematic as it can increase your risk of heart diseases, diabetes, stroke, etc. Experts recommend that you give your body between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. 

If you are guilty of these bad habits, you should consider changing to experience a positive change in your emotional health.