These 9 Habits Aren't Actually Bad For You

With more research being done surrounding our health, it's no surprise that rules on how to live optimally are always changing. Eggs go from a heart attack risk to a breakfast darling, coffee turns from daily necessity to mood boster, and a whole slew of 'bad habits' end up not being all that bad for you. We all have our vices, but as it turns out, some of these naughty habits may actually end up being pretty good. And what's more exciting than finding out one of your guilty pleasures is actually benefiting your mind and your body?

"Everyone has some guilty pleasures, and there is a big difference between a bad habit (it controls you) and a treat (you control it)," says Nancy Irwin, PsyD, C.Ht. to Bustle over email. Some "bad habits" are OK as long as they're done in moderation, which means you don't have to beat yourself up each time you indulge. Better yet, some formerly taboo habits have been researched and clarified, only to emerge as recommended daily activities.

With so much changing in the health world, it's good to keep up to date on what's beneficial and what you should avoid. Here are nine supposedly-bad habits that aren't all that terrible for you.

1. Getting Angry

No one should take their anger out on their friends and family, but it's OK to allow yourself to feel the emotion instead of trying to push it away. "Despite the social pressure to not get angry or never publicly display 'negative' emotions like anger or irritation, studies actually show that expressing your anger is really good for your mental health because it helps you blow off steam and cope with your feelings in a healthy way," says Austin. "This way, you don’t end up internalizing those negative feelings and feeling even worse in the long run"

2. Drinking Beer

"Wine gets all the attention, but beer should't be left off," says nutritionist Danielle Girdano over email. "Beer has all the antioxidants that red wine has, along with vitamin B6, which can keep your body from building up something called homocysteine, which is linked to higher incidents of coronary disease."

3. Skipping A Workout

You don't need to feel guilty on days you feel like taking it easy instead of hitting the gym. "Three or four workouts a week is plenty for the average person," says Girdano. "I'm not saying be a coach potato the rest of the time, but remember the body needs time to repair and and muscle group needs at least 48 hours to recover if dong strength training."

4. Eating Chocolate

As long as you're opting for dark chocolate with 70 percent cocoa or higher, there's no need to feel like chocolate is only a sweet treat with no nutritional benefits. According to multiple studies, chocolate can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, decrease stress, fight inflammation, and even improve your brain functioning

5. Drinking Coffee

"As long as you keep the black stuff to four or fewer cups per day (and avoid filling your cup with sugary creamers and additives), coffee can actually be a helpful...performance enhancement tool," says certified nutritionist and personal trainer Amanda Dale to Bustle over email. Drinking coffee also has a ton of other health benefits, including prevention against diabetes, lowered risk of Parkinson's disease, and improved liver functioning, among others.

6. Eating At Night

Eating at night is often lauded as a dietary no-no, but it's not about the time of day you eat it — rather it's how much you eat in a day or the types of foods you choose at night. "Whether or not you eat these calories in the morning, noon, or night, is simply irrelevant," says personal trainer Franklin Antoian to Bustle over email.

7. Taking Breaks At Work

You may feel bad about pausing your work every so often during the day, but taking breaks can actually be beneficial. A study from Baylor University found that people who take short, frequent breaks throughout the day have more stamina and higher job satisfaction than those who don't.

8. Skipping A Shower

Sometimes, we're just too lazy to do that shampoo, and luckily, this could actually work out in our favor. Showering too often can strip our body of its natural oils, so skipping a day can actually keep our skin moisturized as well as decrease your risk of infection.

9. Sitting Down On An Uncovered Toilet Seat

If you've ever been a rush and skipped the toilet seat cover, fear not. Research from the University of Arizona found that the toilet seat is likely the cleanest part of a public bathroom. In fact, it even tests cleaner than most office spaces.

Unfortunately, not all bad habits end up being good for you, so it's still important to remember that everything is best in moderation.

Images: Pixabay (10); Bustle