Which Habits Damage the Brain?

A habit is a regular practice on which most of us rely. Often, neither the cause nor the effects are recognized. Some seemingly harmless activities can be so harmful that they induce long-term brain damage. The human brain is the most important organ in our bodies, and we often overlook the fact that it requires exercise, training, and nourishment to work properly. As a result, developing good habits and avoiding the following harmful behaviors will help to protect the brain and maintain it healthy.

Brain-Damaging Habits you should Know

Missing out on Sleep

We’re all guilty of doing things we know we shouldn’t. Some of those bad behaviors, on the other hand, can be harmful to your brain. For example, sleep deprivation has been associated to dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. It’s ideal to keep a consistent sleep routine. If you’re having trouble sleeping, avoid alcohol, coffee, and electronic gadgets in the nights and develop a soothing nighttime routine.

Skipping Breakfast

To perform at its optimum, our brains need the right nutrition at the right time. Most of us avoid or skip breakfast to save time in the morning due to our fast-paced lifestyles. As a result, the brain doesn’t get enough sugar or nutrients. This results in a lack of sugar and nutrient availability to the brain. The brain requires only pure glucose to function correctly. Poor diet can have long-term negative impacts on the brain, such as brain cell degeneration.

Consuming Unhealthy Food

People who eat a lot of hamburgers, fries, potato chips, and soft beverages have smaller brain parts associated to learning, memory, and mental health. On the other side, berries, whole grains, nuts, and green leafy vegetables help to maintain brain function and decrease mental deterioration. So the next time you reach for a bag of chips, reach for a handful of almonds as well.

Poor Interaction

Humans are hardwired to seek for social interaction. What’s important is a genuine sense of connection, not how many friends you have on social media. People with this form of relationship, even with a few close friends, are happier and more productive. They’re also less prone to get dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. If you’re feeling lonely, call some friends or do something new that includes other people, such group dancing, tennis, football or even going to see a movie with friends.

Not Exercising

You are more prone to get dementia if you don’t exercise frequently. You’re also at a higher risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure, all of which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease. You don’t have to start running marathons to get some exercise; a half-hour in the garden or a quick walk around the neighborhood will suffice. It’s critical to perform it three times per week at the very least.

Blasting your Headphones on the Highest

By listening to your headphones at full volume for 30 minutes, you can permanently damage your hearing. Hearing loss in older persons has been linked to brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and brain tissue loss. This could be because your brain is working so hard to understand what’s going on around you that it can’t remember what you’ve heard. So bring it down to no more than 60% of your device’s maximum level and listen for no more than a couple of hours at a time.

Overeating

“Too much of anything is bad,” as the saying goes. The same is true of our brain. We tend to overeat if our brains aren’t functioning properly, and vice versa; overeating leads to brain damage. It causes cholesterol plaques to form and blood vessels in the brain to thicken, resulting in a reduction in blood supply to brain cells. The brain’s capacity to operate normally can be severely harmed as a result of this. Overeating has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and leads to obesity results which can harm our self-esteem, confidence and can also lead to depression and other psychological issues.

Smoking

Smoking is, without a doubt, one of our most harmful habits, as it causes not only lung and heart disease, but also the destruction of numerous brain cells. This can severely limit the brain’s ability to function normally, resulting in dementia, Alzheimer’s, and even death. Smoking causes neuro-inflammation, which can lead to the autoimmune disorder and multiple sclerosis.

Stress

At some point in their lives, everyone encounters stress, and in life, a certain amount of stress from work or family is unavoidable. The stress of meeting deadlines or winning a competition is a healthy form of stress. Stress disturbs brain function and causes you to feel unhappy, depressed, angry, irritated, and sleepless when it surpasses your ability to deal. If you experience one or more of these feelings frequently, it’s important to seek counseling or remove yourself from stressful situations.

Consuming Excess Sugar

Whether we realize it or not, sugar is present in almost all of our foods and beverages. Refined sugar consumption impairs the brain’s and body’s ability to absorb proteins and nutrients. Inadequate nutrition can lead to malnutrition and brain illnesses such as poor memory, learning disabilities, ADHD, and depression. So, before you add a large Coke to your happy meal, consider this: it contains roughly 20 spoonfuls of sugar!

Covering your Head while Asleep

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood increases when the head is covered during sleeping, while the oxygen concentration in the blood decreases. When the oxygen supply to the brain is inadequate, the brain’s ability to operate is reduced. It’s possible that you’ll feel stifled and sleep deprived, resulting in weariness and drowsiness.

Alcohol

More brain cells die when the proportion of alcohol in the brain rises. When used in high quantities and over long periods of time, alcohol causes chemical abnormalities. Chronic alcohol consumption reduces brain volume.

Working when Sick

When we are overworked, we frequently become ill. If we continue to work when sick, the brain’s efficacy is sure to suffer significantly. This will only make things worse. Our brains and bodies are already working overtime to fight the virus when we’re unwell. Working on a sick day can only make things worse. So take a break, unwind, and rest.

Exposure to Chemicals/Pollutants

Our brain is fully dependent on oxygen to function properly. The more hazardous compounds or dirty and contaminated air you are exposed to, the less oxygen enters the brain. The brain’s cells may die if there isn’t enough oxygen in the body.

Not Thinking

The brains of people who do not think enough or often enough shrink. As a result, thinking is necessary for the brain’s maintenance and expansion. Thinking, reading, and writing will help to train and strengthen the brain so that it can work better and avoid damage.

Taking Certain Medications

A wide range of pharmaceuticals can impede the effects of acetylcholine, a brain neurotransmitter vital for learning and memory. These include tricyclic antidepressants, several over-the-counter antihistamines, and some prescription antidepressants.

Having Negative Thoughts

Ruminating on grudges, resentments, and unpleasant thoughts not only keeps you down, but it’s also been related to a deterioration in cognition and memory in those aged 55 and up. To some extent, everyone engages in repetitive negative thinking. It’s a normal part of life, and not everyone will get Alzheimer’s. However, because it is a changeable behavior, it is critical to let go of negative thoughts and replace them with good ones.

Now that you Know…

We don’t typically think of our brains as being as important as our bodies when it comes to our health. However, in order to be our most productive selves, we must do more of the things that increase our brain health and less of the things that induce cognitive decline. Begin by making little changes to your daily routine and avoiding these frequent modern habits; and your body will thank you.