Seven brain-damaging habits to avoid
Seven brain-damaging habits to avoid
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Intellectual lethargy
One of the most underestimated things, despite the damage it causes to the brain, is not using it. The brain is a muscle, and if you do not use your muscles, it will atrophy, and the function of the brain is to think. Creative ideas, new skills, different languages, interesting conversations, reading, or new experiences, and solving puzzles and crosswords all help
stimulate your brain and improve the neuroplasticity that It indicates his ability to adapt
How do you get rid of this habit
Research proves that brain exercises have a positive effect on our cognitive abilities. So start now and think of exercises that you can do to train your brain, such as: reading a new book on a topic that you are not familiar with, or learning a new language, and it will be useful to do something that you want so much, but you hesitate to do so every time
Addiction to smartphones, computers and all kinds of digital screens
All the modern technology of computers, smartphones and tablets designed to make you addicted to using them; The apps you enjoy, like Facebook and other social media, do a lot of damage to your brain
It is enough to think of the times you stared at the screen until you felt pain in your eyes and decided to take a break, but the problem is that sometimes we do not even realize these obvious signs, but we continue to browse these sites, Instagram news, and Twitter is really tempting, or because we feel like we have to answer an email before we go to sleep
Studies show that there is a relationship between the time spent on digital screens and depression, and this finding is not surprising because most of the content we follow on the Internet is negative and harms our health and wellness
On the one hand, we stimulate our brains excessively and negatively, on the other hand, we harm our eyes, and last but not least, most media and negative news hurt our emotions and negatively affect our thinking. In front of a screen, it weakens the structure of the brain and harms its functions
How do you get rid of this habit
You don't have to completely avoid social media or technology, just set healthy boundaries and prevent yourself from becoming addicted to using them. Most smartphones come with the feature of knowing how much time you spend on the phone
According to TechJury, the average American spends 5.4 hours a day on their phone. Imagine what you can do or learn in five hours a day. In the next few days, ask yourself what you can do to reduce the time you spend in front of the screen, and invest that time in meaningful activities
physical inactivity
Although sitting seems very normal, it can have serious effects on the brain, our physical health, and even our mental health. We often forget that the natural position of the human body is to stand, not to sit, and we ignore the disastrous effects of a sedentary lifestyle
such as heart disease, obesity, depression and dementia
In addition, a study found that an inactive lifestyle also has negative effects on our brains, for example it negatively affects memory, and although breaking this lifestyle requires only getting up for a while from the couch, millions of people are still suffering From a sedentary lifestyle
Despite what most of us suffer from neck pain, lower back pain, or spasm in the shoulders, we often fail to avoid the bad health effects of this lifestyle, and the reason is that sitting is a habit that is unconscious
How do you get rid of this habit
Getting rid of a sedentary lifestyle lies in integrating daily activity into your life. You do not have to engage in violent or strenuous sports, such as: long-distance running, or participating in a marathon. All that is needed is only getting up for a few minutes, walking short distances, and standing still. straight
According to studies, even high levels of physical activity and exercise cannot counteract the negative effects of long periods of sitting. This piece of information may be frustrating, but at the same time it means that you can significantly improve your brain health through some daily lifestyle changes
You can easily set your phone alarm to remind you to stand up every 30 to 50 minutes. For example, you can replace large cups of water or coffee with small ones, and then you have to get up to refill them
In addition to these easy changes, do a physical activity you like and add it to your weekly schedule, such as yoga or a certain type of dance
Diet full of sugars and fast food
According to Fernando Gomes Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at the University of California, what you eat affects your brain, and research also proves that a diet rich in sugar impairs brain functions, specifically hindering both functions Memory and learning
Most of the time, sugar cravings are a natural result of our feelings of stress. Once we feel anxious or stressed, we feel the need for more energy, and sugar provides a quick boost of energy in the blood. This is the secret of our desire to eat fast food, as it offers minimal nutrients, large amounts of sugar and salt, and in this way we feel full quickly, but soon we feel hungry again
The problem is not only that sugar and fast food lead to obesity, but also that it slows down brain development. Although our brains make up only 2% of our body weight, they consume 20% of our energy resources, which is why the food you eat has such a big impact on your thinking and the decisions you make
How do you get rid of this habit
It is not enough to cut down on sugary drinks and foods. Rather, you must replace them with foods and drinks that positively affect the health of your brain. Berries, whole grains, nuts, and vegetables are examples of healthy foods. So try to make your meals complete, including nutritious vegetables and high-quality protein
And if you want to eat sweets with coffee, choose a piece of dark chocolate without sugar, it may not be the taste you want, but it satisfies your craving for sweets, and at the same time it is beneficial for your brain
Don't skimp on healthy fats and omega-rich foods, like nuts and seeds. According to a University of California study, supplementing with omega-3s can help reduce the damage caused by eating too much sugar. Also, make sure to drink enough water, if you suffer from dehydration, your body will not be able to perform at its best, and you will find it difficult to maintain your focus or remember important things, even if you eat healthy foods
Addiction to social networking sites and neglect of real-life relationships
According to a Harvard University study, good relationships make us happy and healthy. As human beings, we instinctively crave real-life social interactions. However, the problem is that we try to replace real-life relationships with our relationships on social media
Although the interaction of others with us through these means gives us an immediate boost of adrenaline, it does not give us a true sense of connection; It is just like being surrounded by hundreds of people with whom you do not feel that there is a strong bond between you. Loneliness does not mean being alone. It is possible to feel lonely in many low-quality relationships
Research proves that a lack of high-quality social relationships can indeed lead to mental and physical health problems. Therefore, relationships with others can enhance or deteriorate the health of our brains depending on the quality of these relationships, and virtual reality relationships certainly cannot replace real ones
How do you get rid of this habit
The quality of your relationships and social interactions greatly affects your brain health and your quality of life. In daily life, we often prioritize work over relationships with people close to us, but in the long run, human relationships are more beneficial than sitting for long periods in front of a computer screen
A University of Michigan study found that talking to someone face-to-face for ten minutes a day can improve memory and cognition
Oscar Ybarra, lead author of the study, says that social relationships are just as good for the brain as mental exercise
Insufficient sleep
We all know that not getting a good night's sleep leads to decreased concentration and negatively affects our mood, and despite the importance of sleep in our lives, we consider it a necessary evil, in our world that evaluates a person based on his productivity, most of us try to work extra hours on Calculate their sleep hours
However, the consequences of sleep deprivation are catastrophic, and can lead to dementia, as sleep deprivation leads to the killing of brain cells, memory decline at an early age, or even Alzheimer’s disease, and these effects may lead to poor intellectual performance, memory decline, and decreased memory. The ability to learn, and research shows that sleep deprivation can lead to shrinking brain size
How do you get rid of this habit
The number of hours you sleep and the quality of your sleep have a huge impact on your brain health and memory power. As most people need 7 to 8 hours of sleep, to feel recovered after the working day, and to perform at their best, but attention must also be paid to the quality of sleep, not just the number of hours of sleep, and one of the best ways to get more quality sleep is to get hours of sleep Regular and going to bed at the same time every day
Listening for loud noises
Another habit that is underestimated is its danger to the brain, which is listening to loud noises, especially through earphones. 30 minutes of loud music or any other type of noise can damage your hearing system for life
Not only that, but studies have shown that hearing loss is associated with brain problems and decreased cognitive abilities. If you live in a big city, you will be exposed to noise no matter how hard you try to avoid it, and in this case it is even more important to preserve your hearing
How do you get rid of this habit
It's very tempting to plug in earphones to forget about the surrounding environment, and that's okay, provided you make sure to adjust the volume, so music or other things won't harm your hearing device in the long run
When you use earphones for long periods, be sure to adjust the volume, especially since we have become accustomed to loud sounds, and we do not feel that the loud sound means any problem, and herein lies the danger. We damage our hearing without knowing it
So take off the headphones at least once every hour, to check the sound level, and this helps you know the true level of sound and avoid it because our ears are designed to adapt to loud noises
Another thing you can do to check the volume is to take out the earphones and spread them out at arm's length. If you can still hear the sound, then this is a sign that the volume of the content you are listening to should be turned down
in conclusion
Instead of exposing your brain to harmful stimuli and engaging in activities that are detrimental to brain health, treat each day as an opportunity to make your brain recover and restore its energy and functional capabilities, and although the habits we mentioned can have very dangerous effects in the long run, the good news is That all of these habits can be avoided