7 Annoying Habits And the Fascinating Scientific Reasons For Them

Ahem, ahem! Someone who constantly clears his or her throat could have a nose and sinuses problem, called chronic rhinitis, which results in excessive mucus production. It occurs when an irritant (typically allergies) inflames the membrane in the upper respiratory tract. People with year-round allergies, like house dust mites, may have a constant build-up of mucus in their throat, which leads to that non-stop clearing. It can usually be treated with a few weeks of a strong anti-allergy medication. Another potential cause: acid reflux. When acid passes from the stomach upward into the esophagus, the throat swells. Mucus sticks to the swollen tissues, causing hoarseness and a cough. If over-the-counter heartburn medications don't resolve the issue, a doctor may be able to prescribe stronger treatment.

Always saying, "you know" or "like"

There's always, like, one not-so-brilliant movie character who talks this way, you know? Don't write off their intelligence: Research suggests that those who often say "like" and "you know" may be especially thoughtful. In a study published in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology, researchers examined more than 260 transcriptions of normal conversations. They discovered people who used these "filler words" tend to be more conscientious than people who don't. Researchers say discourse markers imply a desire to thoughtfully share opinions with others, and may give someone more time to phrase something just right.

Oversharing on Facebook

A minute into checking social media, you find out your high school lab partner is potty training her 6-week-old Labradoodle puppy ... unsuccessfully. You may roll your eyes when you get too much detail, but these oversharers reap a neurological reward when they spill their TMI news. Harvard researchers used an MRI machine to track 212 participants' brain activity as they answered questions about their own opinions or others' opinions. Researchers found that talking about oneself activates brain regions associated with reward (the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area). Only about 60 percent of real-life conversations typically revolve around an individual's personal thoughts and stories, compared to 80 percent of social media communication.

Biting nails

Distracted by a pal who just can't sit still? Perfectionism may be an underlying cause of nail biting, skin picking, or eyelash pulling, according to a study published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry. Researchers asked 48 participants questions about how often they experienced certain emotions, including boredom, anger, and anxiety, and put them in situations meant to trigger feelings such as boredom or relaxation. People with fidgety habits reported greater urges to pick at themselves when bored compared to when in relaxing scenarios. Researchers say perfectionists are more likely than others to become bored easily, and that behaviors like picking at nails deliver a form of reward in unsatisfying situations.