15 Bad Habits That Aren’t So Bad

Everyone has a bad habit or two – or more – and it might make you feel a little guilty or a little bad about yourself. You know what? Forget that. Bad habits are often some of the most fun habits (provided your bad habits don’t include anything dangerous or illegal). Who cares if your mom disapproves of your affection for a good bottle of red wine or your sister thinks your internet usage goes beyond that of normal and into the realm of obsessive. The next time a loved one tells you how bad your habits are, counter with all the reasons these 15 bad habits aren’t as bad as they seem to want them to be.

Be sure to click “next” for each habit we’ve listed!

Alcohol

Lower your risk of heart disease, having a heart attack, stroke, gallstones and even diabetes by drinking alcohol. Of course, moderation is the key here, but that doesn’t mean that you have to forgo your nightly glass of red. Drinking in moderation can help you live longer and healthier (drinking too much can do exactly the opposite, however).

Internet Obsessions

Okay, so your addiction to celebrity gossip sites isn’t doing anything to help your health, but using the internet can be healthy when done correctly. When you use the internet for research and educational purposes, you actually increase your brain’s ability to function. While you don’t have to give up the gossip sites and social media networking (read – facebook stalking your ex) you have to counteract it with a little educational reading on the side. It won’t kill you, I promise.

Choco-holic

All right, so too much chocolate isn’t good for your waistline, but it is good in other ways. Chocolate can lower your blood pressure and decrease your chances of blood clots, and eating dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate. Like the alcohol, however, this is one bad habit to indulge in moderation.

Coffee

The next time someone gives you the raised eyebrow as you fill up your third cup of coffee for the morning, tell them that they will thank you in 50 years when you still remember their name thanks to that cup of coffee. Caffeine is known to decrease your chances of being diagnosed with both Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. The next time you can’t remember why you love coffee, remember that it’s so you can remember when you shouldn’t be able to remember. Remember?

Donuts, Anyone?

Don’t sweat it when the uber-fit chic at the office looks at you with disgust the next time you pluck a donut from the break room during an office meeting. Studies show that she may be fitter, but she’s suffering more than you due to the fact that those who indulge in a sweet treat for breakfast every now and then experience fewer cravings throughout the day. Isn’t that  a happy coincidence?

Anger Management; No Thanks

Your mother may disapprove of your inability to smile and keep your anger to yourself, but the experts say that she’s wrong considering this a bad habit. Letting your anger out (not in a Chris Brown-Rihanna way, of course) ultimately makes you happier than keeping it inside, even if you’re keeping it in to keep the peace. Those w ho express their emotions are less stressed and less anxious than those who do not. Go ahead, tell your husband what you really think of his inability to spit his toothpaste inside the sink when he’s finished brushing. You’ll feel much better.

I’ll Do it Later

There’s no way procrastination can be good for you, right? It’s a nasty habit that so many of us suffer from, but it’s not all that bad. Taking a break from finishing up that big project at work to order a new pair of shoes, run to the coffee shop or update your relationship status can help your brain handle pain better.

Movie Marathons

Who cares if your perfect sister uses her free time to volunteer and go to the gym and become even more perfect than she already is while you while away your Sunday afternoon in front of the television watching bad horror films? You’re actually doing yourself a favor, lazy bones. Watching scary movies can actually increase your adrenaline and burn more calories during one movie than a half hour walk.

Hitting Snooze

Go for it. Hit the snooze button. Rushing to get ready for work and the kids ready for school isn’t the worst thing on earth. Getting enough sleep, however, is great! Boost your immune system, lower your stress levels, improve your metabolism and improve your overall health by sleeping in more often. Go ahead and give your husband weekend child duty and tell him that for your own health, you’re sleeping in.

Forgoing the Gym

Your trainer might give you the evil eye, but health experts believe that skipping the gym from time to time is just as important as going to the gym. There is such thing as too much working out, which can wreak havoc on your body. Your muscles need rest just like you need rest, which is why rest days are so important. Skipping the gym on occasion helps your muscles heal, prevents overtraining, prevents injury and helps prevent your body from plateauing and hindering your weight loss.

Multi-Tasking

Here is the permission you need to update your social media status, take a conference call, order a new desk and play with your kids at the same time. Multi-tasking is not as bad for you as you might think. It actually helps you avoid burnout and unhappiness, so get busy, ladies.

Being Low-Tech

If the only thing you like with an “I” in front of it is yourself when you utter the words, “I want a glass of the Chianti, please,” that’s perfectly fine. You don’t have to be high-tech. It’s not a bad habit to be low-tech. In fact, you are helping your memory and your ability to think when you scribble handwritten notes and grocery lists instead of going with the tried and true, “There’s an app for that.”

Fidgeting

Your mom scolded you your entire life for twirling your hair and tapping your foot, and now you finally have a chance to call her up and tell her that she was wrong. Fidgeting burns calories, eliminates stress hormones and can increase your fat burning metabolic rate by almost 50 percent. Go head, twirl your hair!

Gossiping

All right, so this badhabit isn’t very nice and it’s not a good habit, but it will make you feel better. Experts believe spending 20 minutes per day gossiping with a trusted person (say, your husband or mother) can help you relieve your own feelings of stress and anxiety by as much as 72 percent. Now we know why reality television is such a hit; seeing other people’s screwed up lives makes us all feel better about our own!

Not Being a Clean Freak

Next time your mother-in-law not-so-subtly criticizes your less than perfect cleaning skills, tell her that you choose not to clean your kitchen immediately after dinner every night for the health and safety of your family. Studies show that antibacterial cleaners can actually cause bacteria to become immune to your kitchen, leaving you prone to illness. While it isn’t necessarily a bad habit not to clean up the second you’re done with dinner, you still need to clean up. Becoming one of the family’s from, “Hoarders” is not good for your health.