How we live our daily lives and the health and happiness we enjoy are fascinating subjects.
There are choices you make every day that don’t seem to influence your health and happiness, but that have a drastic impact on the way you feel, both mentally and physically.
Discover 3 common mistakes – scientifically proven – that can prevent you from being happy and healthy.
See: 10 events and pleasures that make us happier
1. Avoiding deep and meaningful connections such as family contact, friendships and marriage
Our human experience only makes sense if there is a connection with other beings. It is precisely these connections that provide value and also meaning to our lives. Research proves exactly this.
People who have strong social ties are the healthiest. Furthermore, research has also observed that these people tend to make fewer mistakes that lead to suffering. These people also live longer. Friendships can even help you fight cancer.
The benefits of deep relationships that turn into marriages also help you avoid making mistakes that lead to suffering. Being in a long-term relationship decreases the risk of depression, suicide and abuse of illicit or unhealthy substances.
In a study of almost 6000 people, it was found that marriage led to increased longevity. Those who never married died prematurely.
Finally, several studies have shown that strong family ties are one of the main reasons for the incredible longevity of the people of Okinawa, Japan, despite being one of the poorest places in the country.
What do all these different studies tell us?
Connection and the feeling of belonging to someone are essential for anyone who wants to have a healthy, happy and error-free life, whether it is a strong friendship, a marriage or a good relationship with family. Humans need close connections to be healthy.
See: 10 secrets to being happy in marriage and in life
2. Sitting all day
Sitting in front of the TV is one of the most common mistakes that lead to a life of illness and sadness.
According to a study with around 240,000 participants, this practice increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and can lead to death, whether you exercise or not.
Of course, you also make the same mistakes by sitting in the office in front of your computer all day. Whenever possible, get up and walk a little, stretch and change your environment.
See: 8 things successful people have in common
3. Never stop to breathe and relax
Many Yoga instructors around the world say: people love their classes because it’s the only time of the day when they can simply stop to breathe and relax.
Think about this: from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep, do you stop for 15 minutes to simply sit and breathe? Probably not.
This is one of the worst mistakes you can make because the benefits of meditation are enormous. Meditating reduces stress, controls anxiety, improves quality of life and strengthens the immune system.
Additionally, meditation has been shown to decrease anger and improve sleep.
It’s just 15 minutes of your day. Your health deserves this time – and you will notice the benefits in no time.
Discover: 10 reasons to practice Yoga
