Ladies and gentlemen, I really think that we all know that your brain is obviously a very important part of your being. Well yes, and we can also say that it is one of the largest organs in your body and is the main control center for every function that happens in your day-to-day life. The human brain carries a lot of information around and has an endless list of responsibilities! The brain is also surprisingly delicate. In recent years, the World Health Organization released what they consider to be the top 10 brain-damaging habits that are common among people today.
10 Dangerous Brain-Damaging Habits to Stop Immediately
- No Breakfast
We all know that breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, right? And yes, the endless debate may go on as to what we should eat for breakfast and when or how we should eat it, but we know for sure that those who do not eat breakfast will have lower blood sugar levels. The experts say that after a long night without eating, this can lead to an insufficient supply of nutrients to your brain. If repeated often enough over a lifetime this can cause brain degeneration.
- Overeating
Well yes, we already feel guilty enough about this one! And, besides making us gain weight, feel bloated and damaging our self-esteem, overeating also causes hardening of brain arteries which can in turn decrease mental power.
- Smoking
Smoking is bad for one’s health, we all know that – right? And, the most terrifying side effect of smoking is that is causes “multiple brain shrinkage”. It is also a suspected culprit in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related diseases.
- High Sugar Consumption
First, you should know about the dangers of sugar and how it is hidden in nearly everything we eat these days. And yes, the experts say that ditching the sugar habit will bring you more health benefits than most people realize. If you’re not convinced yet, turns out that high sugar consumption has been shown to disrupt the body’s ability to absorb proteins and nutrients, which causes malnutrition and issues with brain development. We may be starving ourselves and not even know it!
- Air Pollution
I really think that this one is a bit harder to solve on an individual basis! Or, unless you walk around with a face mask all the time. This means that your brain needs incredible amounts of oxygen to function properly (the reason people pass out so quickly or even die when deprived of air for a short amount of time) and constantly inhaling pollution decreases the oxygen supply to the body, leading to a decrease in brain efficiency.
- Sleep Deprivation
Here’s what you need to know – according to the experts, long term sleep deprivation speeds up the death of brain cells. We want and need to keep our brain cells around for as long as possible! Sleep gives your brain a chance to rest and repair itself after long and sometimes stressful days. Make sleep a priority and do what it takes to get more of it!
- Head Covered While Sleeping
You’ll be shocked when we tell you that sleeping with your head covered goes along with #5 in the fact that it reduces your oxygen intake at night. Since you are asleep, you might not even realize that you’re light-headed or air deprived. You also raise the chance of inhaling too much carbon dioxide. Play it safe and keep the covers off your face!
- Working Your Brain During Illness
We all live in a modern and fast society and some of us are so driven or determined to succeed that we refuse to rest when we get sick. And, the real and ugly truth is, when our body shows signs of illness, it’s often the body’s way of telling us we need to slow down and reconsider our current lifestyle. Our body is also telling us that our brain needs a break! Pushing through sickness, continuing to study or work or do whatever it is we do every day can actually decrease the effectiveness of and damage the brain.
- Lacking in Stimulating Thoughts
This is very simple and it means that if we don’t use our brain and stretch it with new and stimulating thoughts, it will shrink! Yes, you got that right – it will shrink! Thinking is a powerful tool and throughout all the years of your life, the thoughts you think create new pathways in the brain. The neuroplasticity of the brain ensures that you won’t stay the same forever – you’ll either create new pathways and improvements in your mind, or your brain will shrink to accommodate your lack of effort to think and discover new things. Weird, right?
- Talking Rarely
This one is similar to the previous one – talking to people helps your brain to grow and develop. Participating in intellectual conversations will stretch and strengthen your brain and help the efficiency of the brain over time.
Well, there you have it, and as you can see, your brain is a marvelous gift. It’s fun learning new facts about how to take care of and develop the best brain possible. Do what it takes to keep your brain healthy and strong for your entire life and you won’t regret it. We really hope you find this article helpful and don’t forget to share it with your friends and family. Thank you and have a good one.