 Hey, Psych2Goers. Thank you so much for your support. What are some habits that you have? Habits are routines of behavior that are regularly repeated and which often happen unconsciously. So while you may be able to name a few of your habits, such as stretching in the morning or getting the mail before you get home, there may also be some habits that you do that you're not aware of. Perhaps you bite your nails a lot or turn to harmful activities when you're stressed. These are habits that can do more harm to you than good. So to help you become more aware of some of your tendencies that may negatively affect your overall well-being, here are six habits that may be harmful to your mental health. Number one, you worry over what others think. How much do you care about what other people think? Taking feedback from others and knowing how to use this feedback to improve yourself is both a good quality and a healthy one for your professional and personal life. However, it can become a problem if you end up only trying to please everyone to get their approval. You may end up sacrificing things that you want to just because someone else is opposed to it or want something different. Therefore, it's important that you know how to differentiate good and bad feedback in order to improve yourself continuously and efficiently. It's also crucial that you know when to prioritize your own needs and well-being over what people might think. Number two, skipping breakfast. Do you skip breakfast a lot? This habit can have a very negative effect on your overall health since it can affect your blood sugar levels and slow down your metabolism. Skipping what is considered to be the most important meal of the day can also affect your mood and cognitive functions and make you feel like you don't have enough energy to fully start the day. So even if you're tempted to get ten more minutes of sleep in the morning, you may want to consider taking that time to have a good breakfast instead. Because once you get some nutrients in your body, you may find yourself feeling much more refreshed and energized throughout the day. Number three, you spend all day indoors and in the dark. Do you spend most of your days indoors and in the dark? While it has become necessary to stay indoors because of the pandemic, it's also important that you catch some sunlight every day. Whether it's opening up a small window or pulling the curtains up, getting some sunlight can help boost your mood and improve your overall well-being. According to Kenneth Wright, the director of the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at the University of Colorado, a lack of exposure to direct sunlight can affect your sleeping schedule, your mood and your appetite and energy levels since sunlight is known to help regulate these aspects of your everyday life. So while it may be difficult depending on your circumstance, you may want to remember to open up your windows during the day. Or if it's safe to do so, go for a short stroll or run outside. Number four, not exercising. How often do you exercise during the week? Perhaps you're just too busy at work or have been spending more of your time online. Whatever the reason, it can be easy to push exercising further and further down your list of priorities. But exercise has a number of benefits to your overall mental health. It's one of the natural remedies to fight off inflammation, which is the main cause of a number of heart diseases. It's also known to boost your mood because it promotes the release of endorphins in your body. So while you may have the habit of pushing it off, you may want to consider changing up your daily routine and adding just a little exercise to it. Even just going for a 30 to 45 minute walk every day can make a huge difference and bring you great benefits. Number five, overusing painkillers. Are you someone who frequently uses painkillers? Because it's relatively easy to purchase over-the-counter painkillers. Many people may start to depend a lot on these to deal with their everyday pains and illnesses. However, while they may offer some relief, it's also important to know that medications such as apoprofen and aspirin can increase your risk of developing ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, high blood pressure and heart attacks. Therefore, overusing these painkillers might actually end up hurting you, rather than helping you. So if you can, you may want to stick to medicine that has been prescribed by a professional or inquire about different therapies that might help you deal with the pain that you may be experiencing. And number six, getting too many sunburns. Do you often go tanning? While your skin may look great, healthy and vibrant, too much tanning can also lead to an overexposure to sunlight. Constantly getting sunburns and overexposing your skin can make it lose its elasticity and cause it to age faster. But additionally, it can also greatly increase your chances of getting skin cancer. So the next time you want to sunbathe under the skin, you may want to wear a higher SPF sunscreen to protect yourself from all of these drawbacks. Although it sounds easy, not many people actually have the habit of putting sunscreen on before going out. Do you relate to any of these habits? If so, what do you plan to do next? Let us know in the comments below. Once again, different people will have different circumstances, so it's still up to you to decide whether these habits are having a positive or negative impact on your life. If you found this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe and share this video with those who might benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Thanks for watching and we'll see you in our next video.