This quiz reveals what bad habits you may have using the recent data from America’s Health Rankings. Is it going to be smoking, laziness, obesity, or something else?
The Most Common Bad Habits
As per America’s Health Rankings, 72% of Americans acknowledge having at least one detrimental habit. Common unhealthy behaviors reported include smoking, obesity due to poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, excessive drinking, and inadequate sleep.
The Neurological Reason Behind Your Bad Habits
The human brain operates based on triggers and behaviors. When an action elicits a positive or negative response, the brain forms an association that, over time, develops into a habit. For example, consuming sugary food may trigger feelings of happiness and stress relief, prompting the brain to encourage similar eating habits during periods of anxiety.
The bad habit loop comprises three components: Trigger, Behavior, and Reward. For instance, when experiencing fatigue and mental fogginess prompts drinking coffee, the brain interprets physical tiredness as a trigger for craving caffeine. Over time, this develops into an addiction because the reward is an energy boost.
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How to Break Free from Your Unhealthy Lifestyle
In his TED Talk, psychiatrist Judson Brewer outlines a method for breaking bad habits using fundamental cognitive control. Dr. Brewer suggests that quitting unhealthy behaviors is achievable through curiosity and mindfulness. By closely observing your impulsive habits and examining how they truly affect you and why, you can detach yourself from the actions and view them through a lens of curiosity as if studying yourself. Over time, this simple practice provides valuable insight into your bad habits, making it easier to quit them.
One of Dr. Brewer’s patients had attempted to quit smoking unsuccessfully for several years. However, upon trying Brewer’s method, she noticed a reduction in her attraction to cigarettes. This change occurred as she became more mindful of the taste and smell of cigarettes, something she had never truly noticed before.
To get over your bad habits, study them. Understand their purpose and the extent of their influence over you.
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Expose Your Bad Habits with a Brutally Honest Quiz
Are you interested in identifying your bad habits? Take the following quiz comprising 14 relatable yet revealing questions to uncover the answer. We’ve analyzed recent data on the most prevalent unhealthy behaviors among Americans to help you discover your genuine toxic or harmful actions.
How to Play?
Playing personality quizzes is straightforward: Choose the option that’s true about you—or you relate to—and select “Next.” Unlike trivia quizzes, personality tests have no right or wrong answers. But the questions are in forced-choice format. The point is to push you to choose an option that makes the most sense, not the one that’s 100% true. For the most accurate results, don’t overthink your responses. Go with options that you “feel” are the best.
Questions of the quiz
- 1How do you cope with stress and anxiety?
Talk to a therapist or things like meditation
Sleeping
Talking to friends or oversharing memes online
Eating
Keeping myself busy with work
Having fun and partying
- 2What causes most of your anxiety?
Financial problems
Past traumas
My look, style, and body
My weight or height
My career, family, or education
All of the above
- 3What kind of lifestyle do you have?
Balanced
Lazy (limited motivation)
Boring (not much activity)
Lavish
Busy
Messy
- 4How much sleep do you get per day?
7-9 hours
6 hours
5 hours
Over 9 hours
Less than 5 hours
It changes all the time
- 5What often keeps you awake at night?
I usually fall asleep soon after hitting the bed
Overthinking
Social media or TV
Anxiety
Work
A physical condition
- 6What’s your diet like?
Healthy
Mostly fast food
IDK. I don’t eat that much
I binge-eat most of the time
I undereat because of my busy schedule
I eat whatever I get my hands on
- 7How do you spend your free time?
Doing something productive
Sleeping or watching TV
Playing games or hanging out with friends
Cooking or shopping
Doing work-related stuff
Having fun with my besties
- 8How often do you work out?
At least four days a week
I don’t work out at all
Once or twice a week
I can’t work out due to a physical condition
I don’t have enough time to work out
I used to work out regularly but I stopped
- 9Which one better describes your workplace?
A healthy and non-toxic environment
I work from home
I’m too young to have a job
A stressful and high-tension place
A toxic and energy-draining environment
I’m unemployed
- 10Do you consider yourself overweight or underweight?
Neither. My weight is what it should be
Slightly overweight
Underweight
Overweight
Slightly underweight
I’d rather not say
- 11What’s your average screen time?
Less than an hour a day
About 6 hours per day
More than 7 hours
About 5 hours per day
About 2-4 hours a day
I don’t have a phone
- 12How many hours do you work per day?
7-8
3-4 hours a day
I’m too young to have a job (or full-time student)
About 5-6 hours
More than 8 hours
I’m unemployed
- 13Which one do you spend too much money on?
Education
Clothes
Subscriptions
Food
Commute
Other (it’s personal)
- 14What is your relationship status?
Married (no kids)
In a relationship
In a long-distance relationship
Recently broke up with my ex
Married with kids
I’ve been single for a long time