7 Unhealthy Things You Do When You’re Stressed

Rebecca Lewis October 15, 2014

Apart from staying healthy, there’s one more reason why you must take good care of your stress levels – it helps you avoid committing the following mistakes:

Procrastinating when you have more work to do.

When you’re stressed, working can feel very dragging. You feel like giving yourself at least a few minutes to rest but end up doing nothing and spending hours procrastinating. This habit may feel good at a certain time. But experts say it’s not really helping you at all. If you want to stay productive, make sure to keep your stress levels at bay. To lessen the stress brought by work, a good strategy is to break down a big task into smaller ones. This way, you won’t feel overwhelmed. Rather, you will feel more in control. Research suggests working in 90-minute intervals. In this span of time, focus your full attention to the task you’re in, and then take a few minutes rest.

Not sleeping well.

Insomnia can be caused by many different things, including stress. When you’re stressed, you are less likely to fall asleep. According to NHS, some people develop insomnia in response to a stressful event, and it continues even when the stress has been resolved. This is because they have become used to associating the sleeping environment with being alert. Worrying about things is likely to keep you awake all night. Worse, worrying about not being able to fall asleep can also stop you from actually falling asleep, creating a ’vicious circle’.

Making poor decisions.

Yes, this is probably the biggest mistake you can do when you are sleep-deprived. You may have heard of this saying many times: “Don’t make a big decision when you’re stressed”. It’s more than a saying. In one study, Harvard researchers found that students who reported high levels of stress were worse at making good long-term choices because their minds were preoccupied. So the next time you’re stressed, avoid making a big decision. You may not like its consequences.

Overthinking.

When you’re stressed, you are also likely to become anxious. Unfortunately, excessive worrying can only harm your health in so many ways. According to a study published in the journal Plos One, people who ruminate over negative thoughts and emotions are more at risk for depression and anxiety.

Lashing out at others.

Sometimes, a good way to release stress is to let it all out. But if you would lash out at other people, it’s not going to be fair with them. Researchers from Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Dresden University of Technology in Germany found that stress is a contagious emotion, and soon your stress has become someone else’s, too.

Binge-eating.

Many people, when stressed, seek comfort from food. Unfortunately, they tend to have poor food choices in this state – favouring fatty, sugary and calorie-dense options over the healthier ones. As a result, they gain weight and experience guilt feelings after. According to Harvard Health Medical Publications, in the short term, stress can shut down appetite. But in the long run, it does the opposite. The adrenal glands release another hormone called cortisol, and cortisol increases appetite and may ramp up motivation in general, including the motivation to eat.

Not exercising.

Many people know that exercising on a regular basis can keep their stress levels at bay. But if you are already stressed, you will feel less enthusiastic to pump your muscles up and get sweating. Instead, going couch potato could be more appealing to you. Don’t give up. In times like this, a 30-minute moderate physical activity can actually save you from stress. You just have to push yourself to get moving.

Stress can be your number one enemy. It is in fact, regarded as a silent killer. Sometimes, you won’t know it’s there until you have already experienced the symptoms. Observing a healthy lifestyle is the key to keeping your stress levels low. It’s also a good plus if you can incorporate stress-busting practises in your daily life, such as meditation and yoga. When you are able to manage stress effectively, you’ll get to enjoy your life more.