Does all the news about forming good, healthy habits leave you feeling inadequate? We all have “bad habits” that make us feel ashamed or guilty, from eating sugary foods to sleeping in. But are those habits really all that bad? Research shows that some of the things we think of as bad or unproductive are actually good for us. Below, check out seven seemingly bad habits that turned out to have some benefits, including staying in your PJs, playing phone games, reading novels, sleeping in, and more.
Cozy winter sweet potatoes may help balance blood sugar.
Love potatoes? Simply swapping sweet potatoes for white potatoes may help you balance your blood sugar. The richly colored spuds boast an ample supply of beta-carotene (an antioxidant that gives them their orange hue), which reduces insulin resistance and keeps insulin-secreting beta cells in the pancreas healthy. Proof? A recent study in Advances in Nutrition found that regularly eating foods rich in beta-carotene reduces type 2 diabetes risk. Other good sources of beta-carotene include winter squash, carrots, and spinach.
Another form of sugar that may help? Honey. Adding 2 tablespoons of acacia, clover, or raw honey to tea in place of sugar may help lower your type 2 diabetes risk, as long as the rest of your diet is healthy. Though honeys have natural sugars, these varieties are also rich in compounds that may lower blood glucose.
Wearing pajamas may improve your attention to detail.
Winter is the perfect excuse to lounge around in your coziest pajamas or sweatpants. And when you do, there is a surprising benefit: It may be easier to concentrate on small details during tasks. That’s the word from a study conducted by Columbia University scientists, who found that wearing informal, comfortable clothing improves the brain’s local processing, which helps you focus more easily on the small details of a task. Though the study authors noted that more research is necessary to support their findings, it’s a great excuse to stay warm in your jammies.
Playing phone games may help stimulate your memory.
When it’s too blustery to head outdoors, video games are a fun way to pass the time. Bonus: University of California, Irvine, scientists found that study participants who played games that immersed them in an imaginary world (such as Angry Birds and Super Mario 3D World) for 30 minutes daily improved their memory in four weeks. How did it work? The researchers theorized that the games stimulated the brain’s memory-managing hippocampus.
Bonus tip: Play games with your friends. Regularly playing games with pals lifts your spirits, even on days when you’re not spending time together, says HelpGuide.org. Being playful with others ups resilience and cuts stress, spurring lasting …….
