In this post, we have put together a list of bad habits that can cause brain damage. Read on to find out!
As we all know, the brain is undoubtedly the most important organ of the body. The brain controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, temperature, hunger and every process that regulates our body.
When fatal accidents occur, even if the other parts of the body is fully healed but the patient is brain dead, he or she will be pronounced dead by the doctors as the other organs of the body cannot function properly without the brain signaling to them.
This is an indication that conscious efforts should always be made to avoid doing things that may damage the brain. However, the reverse is the case in the modern world we live in because we are always caught up in doing things that are dangerous to our brain.
Bad Habits That Can Cause Brain Damage
Here is a list of some of the bad habits that are slowly damaging the brain
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Every human being should compulsorily get 7-8 hours of sleep daily, this way the brain can rest and recover from the activities of the previous day. Lack of sleep often leads to memory loss, mood swing, depression, irritability and also cognitive designs. All of these things mentioned causes great damage to the brain.
Studies have shown that lack of sleep can also increase the risk of dementia. The sad reality of dementia is that it does not only affect the aged, it also, in some cases, affects the young. This is a wake up call for you to always get enough sleep in order to keep your brain in the best shape.
Negative Energy
Are you one to hold a grudge, get angry easily or focusing on other negative emotions that just often keeps you in a pessimistic mood? Then you should change this as fast as possible by focusing majorly on positive emotions instead. According to research negative emotions have been linked to cognitive decline. Also, research has also revealed that individuals who dwell on negative emotions had more amyloid and tau deposits in their brain, and these two are the biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease.
Stress
Stress is not only dangerous for your physical health but also your mental(brain) health as well. When you are stressed, your brain finds it difficult to retain information and you will only get less performance from your brain. There is a particular part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex, this part is responsible for controlling our thoughts, actions and emotions. When stressed, this part of the brain will lack its proper functionality.
In order to avoid these types of situations, ensure that you avoid extremely stressful situations and also watch out for signs of stress such as irritability, lack of energy and decreased concentration.
Once you notice any of these signs, assess the things around you and try to eliminate anything around you that might trigger or cause these types of situations.
Taking Too Much Of Sugary Drinks
According to aarp.org, “A 2017 study associated sugary beverage consumption with poorer episodic memory as well as lower total brain volume and hippocampal volume. And 2022 research found that sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks, sweetened tea, fruit drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks were all significantly linked to declined cognitive function.”
Also Annie Fenn, M.D. The founder ofBrain Health Kitchen, a cooking school and community for Alzheimer’s prevention said “Consuming sugary drinks may lead to spiking blood sugar and an exaggerated insulin response in many people ”. According to her, this might trigger chronic inflammation in the brain. Taking fresh fruits is a better alternative to sugary beverages.
Lack Of Brain Exercise
Not having adequate brain exercise will not only weaken your thinking abilities but will also cause damage to your brain. Just imagine getting a new gadget and not putting it to work, what will happen to it? It will most definitely spoil. The same goes for the brain, constant exercise and usage keeps it sharp and refreshed.
Brain exercising includes reading a book, listening to music, taking up hobbies such as painting and pottery, socializing and so on. Just don’t spend most of your days sitting on the couch and scrolling through social media.