Being Lazy Might Actually Be Better For Your Health

By Joanna Mazewski

For all of those moms who just want to take an extra 15 minutes of sleep in the morning or simply want to postpone the laundry for another day, there’s good news. Busy moms don’t have to feel obligated to get everything done. As a matter of fact, being a “lazy mom” might actually be more beneficial to your health.

According to a new study, there are plenty of health benefits to being a lazy human being. It might not only help you feel better rested, but you’ll also live to be healthier and happier, not to mention longer, too. Researchers from the University of Kansas studied nearly 300 different species and their metabolic rates. In other words, they look at the amount of energy they would need to survive on a daily basis. They found that species that require more energy to survive were more likely to pass away quickly.

On the other hand, the species whose energy levels stayed low were more likely to do better. In the long run, moms are better off to be well-rested than try to run their daily lives on empty. Which honestly, is what a lot of busy parents do.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that parents should just throw all of their responsibilities out of the window, watch reruns of their favorite reality television shows in bed and call it a day. Being physically and mentally lazy can also affect a person’s health in several different ways, too. Inactivity is linked to the development of chronic health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, dementia and cancer. It can make us feel bad about ourselves, guilty and frustrated, appeased only with the ever alluring reward of inactivity – comfort, rest and stress-free.

Instead, choose your activities wisely. Be smart about doing less. Take time out from your busy schedules to do something that you enjoy. For instance, you can allow yourself weekend lie-ins. You can shop less, simplify your life or simply go outside and enjoy nature. Let someone else do one of your tasks for you. In other words, the key to a simple, happy, but wonderfully lazy life is moderation.