10 'bad' habits that are good for you

Ever promised yourself that this year you were definitely going to give that bad habit the flick, only to give into your vice again after only a couple of hours? Well, the good news is that "bad" habit may not actually be as harmful as you think. Here are 10 common "bad" habits that are actually good for your health.

GOSSIPING

Most of us love a good gossip, whether we're giggling over a colleague's new romance or passing an opinion on someone's outfit choice or behaviour, and the good news is that gossiping could actually be good for us. Not only does listening to gossip help us to learn more about the characters of those around us, bonding and having a laugh with your peers also release feel-good hormones which help to relieve stress and anxiety.

DRINKING COFFEE

Although drinking too much coffee can be detrimental to your health, in smaller quantities the popular hot drink can actually be good for you. When drunk in moderation (no more than three cups a day), caffeine can speed up your metabolism, boost exercise endurance and reduce your risk of gallstones and kidney stones.

A study by the Harvard Medical School has also found that women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are less likely to be depressed, while separate research has shown that drinking three cups cuts risk of age-related diabetes.

FIDGETING

It's the bane of school teachers everywhere, yet research suggests that fidgeting may not be a bad thing - at least in us adults. Research suggests that fidgeting can burn up to 1470 extra kilojoules a day, helping you to keep off those excess pounds.

To further increase your kilojoule burn, try to squeeze in more incidental exercise, such as getting up to change the channel rather than using the remote control.

SWEARING

Swearing: it's not big and it's not clever ... but studies suggest that in certain situations, it may actually be good for you. According to a study by the University of East Anglia, swearing at work could help employees cope with stress and maintain solidarity.

Meanwhile, researchers at Keele University's School of Psychology found that swearing can provide effective short-term relief from pain. However, the study also notes that swearing should be reserved for crises only, as the higher the daily swearing frequency was for participants, the less pain relief they experienced.

LOSING YOUR TEMPER

Many of us have been brought up to believe that losing our temper is the ultimate social faux pas. To an extent this is true (nobody wants to hang out with that person who is always losing their cool and shouting their mouth off), however research has found that losing your temper could actually be good for your health.

Venting your emotions is believed to reduce the effects of stress, while a Swedish study found that men who bottled up their anger when unfairly treated at work doubled their risk of having a heart attack.

SUNBATHING

In recent years, official advice has been that we should cover up in the sun at all times to protect ourselves from skin cancer. However, more recently, experts have stated that little and frequent sun exposure is good for us.

In the UK, where vitamin D deficiency is common, seven leading health groups and charities have issued a statement advising everyone to spend 10 minutes in the midday sun without sunblock in order to avoid rickets.

Meanwhile, a US study has stated that the vitamin D produced by the sun could help ward off colds and flu. However, experts have stressed that people should cover up after 10 minutes, and skin should never be red at the end of the day.

HAVING A LIE-IN

Feeling guilty about your weekend lie-in? Don't. Research has found that sleep can help you live longer, boost your memory and reduce stress, while not getting enough can lead to accidents, weight gain and increased risk of heart disease.

Furthermore, delaying your morning workout in favour of some shut-eye may have health benefits, as research from Brunel University found that heavy training sessions early in the morning can compromise the immune system.

SKIPPING A SHOWER

Okay, so repeatedly missing showers may not win you any friends, but if you are ever tempted to skip a shower here and there, research suggests that you could be doing your health (and the environment) a favour.

Daily washing not only strips your skin of the natural oils that keep it hydrated and supple, it could also strip your skin of good bacteria that help to prevent disease. If you do decide to skip a shower, just try to do it on a day when you won't be vigorously working out.

GIVING IN TO YOUR CRAVINGS

Although constantly giving into junk food cravings is a sure-fire way to sabotage your healthy eating success, allowing yourself the odd treat will not only boost your happiness, it will also help you keep motivated to stay on track. Also, as many people crave the foods that they most attempt to resist, allowing yourself a little of what you fancy can actually help to reduce cravings.

If you have imposed extreme restrictions on your diet and cut out entire food groups, cravings could also be a sign of a nutrient deficiency in your diet.

DAYDREAMING

Many of us view daydreaming as a sign of laziness or form of procrastination; however, researchers at the University of British Columbia have found that letting your mind wander can actually help boost your problem-solving abilities.

The study found that when participants' minds wandered, the parts of their brain associated with problem-solving became more active than when focused on routine tasks. So, although daydreaming can increase the time it takes to complete your present task, it can allow you to unconsciously sort through other important problems in your life.

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