People Are Revealing the "Innocent" Habits That Transformed Their Bodies Permanently

Unknowingly, some actions we take can have long-term negative effects on our bodies. Members of the Mytour Community shared the seemingly small (yet powerful) habits they had in their younger days, which ended up having surprising, lasting impacts on their bodies. Here's what they shared:

Note: Some responses have been edited for brevity and/or clarity. 

1. "When I was younger, I often had racing thoughts, particularly at bedtime. Rather than consulting a doctor, I confided in a friend. I began using Tylenol PM. Like many substances, I built up a tolerance. Before I sought help, I was taking up to 5 pills a night. I did this for years. I can't imagine the state of my liver. Thankfully, I didn’t drink much—it never really interested me."

2. "Poorly fitting or cheap bras. Many stores will offer free fittings, but it's at least a good idea to measure yourself using the formula available online. And if you're above a B cup, I'd recommend avoiding cheap options whenever possible. Otherwise, you could cause damage to your back, face difficulties correcting your posture, and risk early sagging."

—younghero998

3. "Ballet. I dedicated nearly 15 years to it from a young age, and honestly, I regret not quitting sooner. There’s the mental toll (such as body dysmorphia and perfectionism) as well as the physical challenges — from foot and toe problems to ankle injuries, and high arches that became a significant issue, not to mention knees that became permanently hyper-extended. Not as fun as it sounds. Truly not."

4. "For over 20 years, I’ve spent long hours in retail, standing in heels on concrete floors covered with carpet. My knees and hands suffer from arthritis, often causing me pain. My fallen arches and numbness in my fingers and toes may be permanent. The lesson here: proper shoes and body mechanics are essential when lifting heavy items."

—moderndeer807

5. "I’ve done graveyard shifts. It’s astonishing how hard it is to adjust to sleeping during the day, like you would at night."

6. "I cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting professionally fitted for shoes. Not at regular stores, but at places where the staff is properly trained to do fittings. I discovered that for years I had been wearing the wrong size because it 'felt' right, but one of my feet is slightly longer than the other, so I needed to go up half a size. This made a huge difference in how my feet, knees, legs, and back felt."

—wanderingstorm

7. "The military taught me to push through pain. Now, at 40, with a special needs child, my body and mind are broken. Every day is a battle, physically and emotionally. I have to stay strong for her, but every day brings its own pain."

—artisticgoat85

8. "Music through headphones never really got to me, but concerts did. I didn’t need earplugs at the small-town venue. However, when I went out of town to see Motorhead (RIP Lemmy), they completely rocked my world. My ears rang for ages, but thankfully, they eventually stopped."

9. "Living with an abusive partner has long-term consequences. Constantly being in a fight-or-flight mode can set the stage for chronic illness. Prolonged stress leads to physiological changes, such as increased inflammation, immune system dysfunction, and hormonal imbalance. It can put you at risk for autoimmune diseases, heart conditions, diabetes, and addiction. If you’re in an abusive relationship, please seek help and get out. From my experience—after nearly 30 years of abuse, I escaped, but was left with multiple chronic health problems, likely caused by years of stress. Stay safe and get as far away from abusive situations as possible."

—mushyship86

10. "Make sure to floss your teeth regularly. When I was younger, I didn’t think it made much of a difference if I was brushing already. Now, after spending a lot of money on dental work, I really wish I had taken better care of my teeth all along."

—crankylibrarian

11. "Don’t skip the sunglasses! It not only leads to crow’s feet, but your eyes and retinas can get damaged from prolonged sun exposure."

12. "Dental health. I experienced severe tooth pain but couldn’t afford the necessary care, which led to a heart infection. As a result, I now have permanent damage to my lung, heart, and brain."

—eomuahaha

13. "Growing up, I was never taught the importance of a balanced diet. We ate way too much red meat and didn’t get enough grains. Fast forward to when I was 48 years old, my large intestine ruptured due to diverticulitis. I even died from it. Teach your kids to eat properly."

—witchyorca20

14. "Stress. I had a difficult childhood, so anxiety was already part of me. Then, I went through five years of intense stress—losing our apartment with a newborn, a year without work or health insurance, and two kids with complex medical issues. At age 34, I had a heart attack. I have no other heart attack risk factors, no family history, I’ve never smoked, and I’m vegan. The doctors believe the stress was the cause. The heart attack likely shortened my life, and now I have to have regular heart checkups."

—kbaker90

15. "I did gymnastics as a kid, but I was far too tall and growing too quickly to excel at it. While it did provide a good workout, I fractured and compressed my tailbone at least three times between the ages of 8 and 11. Those injuries, coupled with years of intense and repetitive training in my teenage years, led me to develop degenerative disc disease by the time I was 13, and I dealt with chronic back pain from 13 to 27."

16. "For years, I’ve been told that I grind my teeth in my sleep. The mouthguards I bought from stores didn’t work because I kept spitting them out while sleeping. My dentist suggested a custom-made guard, but it was too costly. Now, I’ve had about ten root canals, and my front teeth have had to be rebuilt. If I’d just gotten the mouth guard, it would have been far cheaper."

—jmacxjr