America's healthiest pleasures:
10 'vices' that are good for you
By Susannah Felts and Jeannie Kim, Health.com
Permission granted: You can officially stop feeling
guilty about those little "bad-for-you" habits you can't
seem to break. Turns out, many of life's greatest
indulgences bring big health benefits -- helping you
stay slim, fight off the blues, and kick disease to the
curb.
And we've got the 10 best right here, conveniently
ranked by Health magazine's expert panelists. Start at
the top of the list to get the most bang for your
healthy buck, and keep moving on down to learn how
to boost your well-being in the most decadent ways
possible.
Pleasure No. 1: Getting your zzz's: Our experts
unanimously agreed: Sleep is free and has virtually
zero health drawbacks, making it the one treat no one
should skimp on. Pillow time gives you energy,
bolsters your immune system, boosts your memory,
and even helps you get (or stay) slim.
Cut slumber short, and you'll find it harder to make
decisions (no surprise to anyone who's struggled
through a workday after a too-late bedtime). Plus,
you'll increase your risk for anxiety and depression.
"Lack of sleep has also been associated with
hypertension, glucose intolerance, and belly fat -- all
risk factors for heart disease," says Nieca Goldberg,
M.D., medical director of the New York University-
Langone Women's Heart Program.
Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night, the
amount that studies show is ideal. If you're up-and-
at-'em on less, don't sweat it: Some people are just
wired that way, Goldberg says. But if you have trouble
falling or staying asleep, or can't seem to drag
yourself out of bed on a regular basis, talk to your
doctor about possible underlying causes, such as
anxiety or sleep apnea.
Health.com: 8 factors that could be keeping you
awake at night
Pleasure No. 2: Playing hooky: There's a reason it's
called a mental-health day. Studies confirm that time
off -- whether on a trip out of Dodge or a 24-hour
staycation -- relieves stress, lowering your blood
pressure and your risk for heart disease.
It also promotes creative thinking (attention,
bosses!). And women in a 2005 study who took two
or more vacations per year were less likely to be
depressed than women who took one every two years.
Can't swing more than a few days away? No
problem: The length of a vacation had no bearing on
how happy it made people, according to a recent
study in the journal Applied Research in the Quality of
Life.
What's more, the biggest thrill came before the
vacation. So spread around the joy of that sweet
anticipation by planning short jaunts throughout the
year instead of one big blowout trip.
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