Do you sneak a peek at the text messages on your husband’s cell phone or Google the purchase price of your cousin’s new beach house seconds after the “sold” sign goes up? You know that it’s really not OK to snoop—that such behaviors can damage relationships and disturb your peace of mind—but what you may not realize is that snooping also can harm your body and brain.

It seems logical that snooping-related ailments could be on the rise, given that the Internet presents an abundance of snooping opportunities. So I asked Jeffrey M. Schwartz, MD, a research psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine and coauthor of You Are Not Your Brain: The 4-Step Solution for Changing Bad Habits, Ending Unhealthy Thinking, and Taking Control of Your Life, to explain the various ways that habitual snooping does a number on a person’s physical and psychological health.

If you’re a snoop, you are at increased risk for…

Weight gain. That’s right—snooping can make you fat! The reason is that it’s stressful to worry about being caught in the act and to try to cover your tracks as you poke around in other people’s business. Stress triggers production of cortisol, a hormone that, when present in increased amounts, interferes with the action of the appetite-regulating hormone leptin and can lead to an increase in appetite, Dr. Schwartz said.

Cardiovascular problems. The stress of snooping also triggers the release of the hormone adrenaline. Both adrenaline and cortisol can speed up your heart rate and raise your blood pressure.

Impaired cognitive skills. Another effect of excess adrenaline and cortisol is to send blood rushing to the lungs, arms and legs as part of the fight-or-flight response. This leaves less blood and oxygen for the frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for problem solving and other high-level cognitive functions. High cortisol levels also impair the memory center in the brain, Dr. Schwartz said.

Poor sleep. Obsessing about as-yet-undiscovered information (Where does my sister keep her bank statements?) or pondering the ramifications of a recent find (Why did Dad’s lawyer leave a voice mail asking him to call?) puts your brain in a state of heightened arousal. That makes it hard to dial down enough to allow restful, restorative sleep.

Anxiety disorders. It’s natural to worry when something seems amiss, even if it turns out that you initially overreacted and the suspicious-looking pills in your teen’s sock drawer were just multivitamins. But if you are a habitual snooper, you spend so much time worrying that your brain may slip into a pattern of producing the cortisol and adrenaline associated with high anxiety, Dr. Schwartz said—and this can increase your risk of developing an anxiety disorder or panic disorder.

How to stop snooping…

Review the health hazards above. Simply having a better understanding of the negative physical and psychological consequences of intrusive behaviors may help you break the nosiness habit.

Make a commitment to clear and honest communication. Snooping often occurs because a person is suspicious, Dr. Schwartz said—so instead of skulking around, come right out and ask your spouse if you can see the note he received from his female coworker or tell your sister you are worried that she’s spending too much money.

Get professional help. If you find that you cannot stop snooping on your own, consult a mental health professional who can help you recognize and deal with the underlying causes of your anxiety. Particularly helpful, Dr. Schwartz suggested, is cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on identifying and changing faulty thinking and replacing negative behaviors with positive ones. Resources to find cognitive behavioral therapists: The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (www.abct.org) and/or the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (www.AcademyOfCT.org).

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