16 Ways You’re Shortening Your Lifespan Without Even Realizing It

Are you inadvertently shortening your own life? Here are 16 small ways we destroy our health and small lifestyle changes we can make to improve. 

Taking the Escalator

Victorian style elegant staircase in abandoned home.
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Do you always choose the escalator in malls? Take the stairs instead and force yourself to move more. 

Sitting for Eight Hours

A worker wearing a headset is talking to someone on the phone while sitting at a computer.
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Our sedentary lifestyles are a massive problem. We have to work, but we don’t have to sit for hours. Take quick walks every hour, give yourself stretching breaks, or switch to a stand-up desk. 

Refusing Your Veggies

Three bags of different cooked vegetables in plastic storage bags.
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We’re not kids anymore; we can eat a vegetable. Those with real aversions can try blending veggies into sauces. 

Staying Up Late

A woman lays in bed with her eyes open. She looks bored and tired.
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Many of us stay up late because the evening is the only time to do things we enjoy. However, if you stay up too late, you won’t be able to get a full night’s sleep, which is essential for your overall well-being. 

Sleeping in on the Weekends

Happy woman sleeping in a comfy bed.
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Sleeping in for an hour or so won’t cause huge problems, but if you’re sleeping until 10 or 11 on the weekends and trying to get up at seven during the week, your schedule will be off balance. 

Try keeping a routine so you go to bed and wake up at similar times each day – even on the weekends. 

Eating Junk 

A woman enjoying a fast food cheeseburger.
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Heart Disease is the number one cause of death for Americans. A steady diet of greasy fast food and salty potato chips will lead you right towards it. Order more heart-healthy food when you go out, like salads, grilled chicken, and fish. 

And Eating Too Much

Man looking sideways holding burger and fries.
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It’s not just that we eat junk, but we eat tons of it. Most of us should be consuming about 2,000 calories per day. A fast food value meal provides about half your daily calories. 

Drinking Pop

three glasses of cold pop with ice in them
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Pop may be delicious, but the sugary drink contains empty calories. Some folks drink 3-4 cans per day, and with each can having about 150 calories, that really adds up. 

Refusing to Walk

A senior couple walks happily through a park.
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Have you ever driven to a store less than a mile away? Our sedentary lifestyles are killing us, yet we opt for the easy way with every chance we get. Add a walk to your daily routine. 

Staying at a Job You Hate

A stressed out worker stares at his laptop screen while hands shove papers and tasks in his face.
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Sometimes we don’t have much of a choice, we need money and we need our job for money. But a stressful work environment can take years off your life. If you hate your job, you must start looking for new opportunities. 

Or in a Bad Relationship

An angry man stands behind the couch, yelling at a woman who is sitting on the couch with her hands over her ears.
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The stress of a bad relationship is just as detrimental to your health and well-being as the stress of a bad job. It’s okay to leave a relationship that isn’t working for you. 

Refusing to Splurge on a Pillow

A woman sits in bed in the morning hugging her pillow. She's wearing white and her entire room is white.
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A good pillow makes a massive difference in sleep, yet far too many Americans refuse to shop around or pay more than $20 bucks for a good one. Spend a little more and get a pillow that helps you drift off to dreamland. 

Not Getting a Check-Up

Young female doctor caring for an older female patient.
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Healthcare is expensive, but it’s far cheaper if you find and address issues when they’re small. Getting a regular check-up will help you identify any areas for improvement before they become life-threatening. 

Falling for Rage Bait

Angry older woman to represent righteous indignation.
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News companies want to keep you mad, so you keep clicking and giving them more money. It raises your blood pressure, but they don’t care; they get more money. 

Voting Against Your Interests

Four women voting with an American flag as a backdrop.
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You’re not a temporarily embarrassed millionaire, so stop voting against common sense policies that would help ordinary people, like healthcare and paid time off. 

Letting Your Brain Stagnate

Man with his hands up about to grasp a holographic image of a brain floating in front of his chest.
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Our brains are muscles, and like all the other muscles, they need exercise. Challenge your mind with puzzles, read new books, and become a lifelong student to keep your brain active.

How Journaling Can Boost Your Mental Health

woman smiling and journaling to represent types of journals
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Increase your health and wellness with a simple, low cost tool: Journaling. But don’t take our word for it. 

Mental health experts speak out about all the benefits journaling offers

37 Tips for Living Your Best Life

happy smiling woman holding a flower over one eye on an orange background
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The life you want is within reach! Here are 37 tips to help you live a fulfilling life

Author: Melanie Allen

Title: Journalist

Expertise: Pursuing Your Passions, Travel, Wellness, Hobbies, Finance, Gaming, Happiness

Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation and is a certified happiness life coach. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.