From picking your nose to queue-jumping & double dipping at parties – why having bad manners is bad for your health
YOU risk more than a telling-off with bad manners – they might also put your health and that of those around you in jeopardy.
From the hygiene peril of picking your nose, to the strain on your heart of getting into an argument after queue-barging, it’s not what your mother or the doctor ordered.
Another no-no is bad positioning at the dinner table.
Slouching at meal times can actually prevent our back and shoulders aligning, according to a new report by leading physical therapists CityPT.
Sitting upright, with elbows kept to yourself, builds core strength and could mean fewer, less severe headaches.
Here, Josh Saunders looks at other common etiquette which your body will thank you for.
Snot a good idea
POKING around up your hooter is not just unsightly for others, it can also be bad for you.
Bogies can spread bacteria and viruses here, there and everywhere.
But fingernails may also cause cuts to delicate nasal tissues and structures inside the nose, allowing germs in or triggering nose bleeds.
Avoid the double-dip
THERE is always one person at a party who dunks their breadstick in the sharing bowl of hummus, bites a bit off then ploughs back in with the same stick.
Not only will it attract dirty looks, it is sure to spread a multitude of germs among the guests.
A study at Clemson University in South Carolina found no less than 10,000 bacteria are transferred from mouth to dip for every three to six double dunks.
Maybe next time, spoon some hummus on to your plate before tucking in.
Dip, dip, hooray.
Look up from your phone
THERE’S little that is ruder or more annoying than someone looking at their phone when you are speaking to them.
But they may be dialling up trouble for themselves, too.
Staring at your phone for a long period of time can cause “text neck” – a repetitive-strain injury caused by having your head tilted forward and down.
Phone screens also generate blue light, and too much of that can strain your eyes or make an existing eye condition worse.
Just put it down.
Cover your mouth
THANKFULLY, since the Covid pandemic, most people are now better at doing this when they cough or sneeze.
It is only polite.
Otherwise, colds and flu or nastier bugs can spread and infect those unlucky enough to be in your firing line.
To help keep those dastardly germs to yourself, experts recommend the “vampire sneeze” where you place the crook of your elbow across your gob to prevent transmission.
Oh, and of course wash your hands regularly.
Don’t jump the queue
WE are a nation of queuers but pushing in is a cardinal sin.
It’s a surefire trigger for supermarket rage at the checkout – especially when we are all already furious about the cost of groceries.
But you can be your own worst enemy by jumping the queue, because that row you start could send your stress levels soaring.
A US study at Harvard Medical School found a barney can raise the risk of heart attack or stroke in the ensuing two hours by up to seven times.
Be patient!
Tidy up
NOT washing the dishes, or leaving your belongings all over the home, are both likely to set off anyone living with you.
But you might also be messing with your health – and theirs – unless you clean up your act.
Clutter can cause anxiety and affect focus and sleep.
Dust and grime can put us at risk of allergies, as well as respiratory problems such as asthma, and can create a breeding ground for bacteria.
A study by Dettol found tidy types are more hygienic than chaotic ones and less likely to get colds or an upset stomach.
Stop being a knucklehead
ANOTHER socially unacceptable habit is cracking your knuckles.
The annoying popping sound is said to be caused by bursting bubbles in the synovial fluid that helps to lubricate joints.
The old wives’ tale that the cracking causes arthritis has been debunked.
But if you do it too often and with too much force, there is potential to do your hands some real damage.
Research has found you can wear down cartilage in your joints, causing inflammation.
Brush your gnashers
THIS is common courtesy to anyone who might cross your path, and also a good idea if you are going on a date.
Failing to brush your teeth, then giving your loved one a kiss, could put them at risk of infection.
Our mouths are home to a whole host of bacteria, warns a study in the journal Microbiome.
And a kiss lingering for just ten seconds can ship a jaw-dropping 80million bacteria from mouth to mouth.