9 Habits that Cause Anxiety

3 minutes

Did you know that not being organized can trigger stress and anxiety? If you don’t put off everything you need to do until the night before, your days will be more peaceful

Reviewed and approved by the psychologist Bernardo Peña.

Written by Bernardo Peña

Last update: 27 May, 2022

It’s normal to have some worry in your life, especially as you become an adult and your responsibilities increase. But it’s important to keep in mind that there are habits that cause anxiety.

There’s a fine line, however, between being worried and moving into anxiety and stress.

People with anxiety disorders live in a permanent state of fear and insecurity, which is something that interferes with most of their daily activities.

If you find yourself in this situation, it’s time to change some of your habits that cause anxiety:

1. Having to be in control of everything

If you’re one of those people who thinks, “If I don’t do it, it won’t be done well,” it’s time to change your attitude.

As much as you want to be in charge of absolutely everything in your life (work, family, relationships), it’s impossible to do – at least not while maintaining good mental health.

Learn to delegate, trust, and direct things so that they go as expected with the help of those around you.

This way you’ll take a big load off of yourself.

Read also: Advice for a healthy brain

2. Trying to please everyone

Making everyone that you have a relationship with happy is truly overwhelming and exhausting.

The only thing you’ll accomplish by pleasing everyone is making yourself unhappy, putting the priorities and needs of others before your own.

It’s not about being selfish. You just need to prioritize your needs before you help others with theirs.

3. Sleeping too little

If you sleep much less than the recommended seven to eight hours for an adult every night, you’ll spend your day in a bad mood, with fatigue and anxiety.

It’s essential that in addition to getting the recommended number of hours of sleep that you try to maintain a routine.
Establish a sleep schedule for your weekdays and turn off all electronic devices before going to bed.

4. Being addicted to caffeine

Coffee has a lot of properties that are somewhat useful for the body. But when you consume it in excess, you can have harmful side effects.

Drinking four to six cups of coffee a day can trigger caffeine dependence. This can result in anxiety, nervousness, irritability, and insomnia.

5. Excessive alcohol consumption

Although many people seek alcohol as a refuge when they’re feeling sad or overwhelmed at work or at home, what it actually does is create a vicious cycle – excessive alcohol consumption only leads to more stress and anxiety.

The regular consumption of alcoholic beverages is not recommended for people when they don’t feel good, mentally.

Also, think about this: remember the hangover that too much drinking can cause, or the bad situations you’ve found yourself in due to being under the influence of too much alcohol.

6. Being disorganized

A lack of organization is a key cause of anxiety and stress. That’s why it’s a good idea to schedule everything you need to do the next day on the night before.

Don’t torture yourself wondering how you’re going to accomplish this or do that. Every day will have its surprises.
Try to simply organize each of your tasks and develop them throughout the day.

7. Not eating breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and you absolutely should never skip it.

You need to start your morning with plenty of energy because low energy levels are a main cause of depression, stress, and anxiety.

See also: The best fat-fighting breakfasts

8. Leading a sedentary lifestyle

A lack of physical activity can increase anxiety and emotional problems.

Start out with a light routine and increase the intensity as the weeks go by.

This will help you produce more endorphins (the happiness hormone), which will make you feel better while also taking care of your health.

9. Excessive consumption of refined sugars

Just like coffee, eating moderate amounts of refined sugar can provide certain benefits to your body. On the other hand, if you abuse it, you’ll see negative results.

When you eat refined sugars it promotes the release of serotonin, one of the hormones that makes you feel good.
If you consume it on a regular basis, however, the effects last less and less time, so your body will crave more and more of these foods.

At some point you’ll develop a dependency that over time can cause severe damage to your body, like being overweight and having high blood pressure.