5 things you should stop doing to keep your brain strong

You already know the good habits: when to eat, when to sleep, how many steps to walk. All these could lead to better brain health. But here’s the thing you’ve rarely heard: while certain habits can make your brain strong, others can secretly wreak havoc. Here are some of the things you should avoid to keep your brain in top shape.Most high achievers see anxiety as a flaw. But it isn’t. Consider it a smoke detector. Your body is giving you signs, telling you something is off. It’s your brain’s way of alerting you that something matters. Instead of ignoring it, listen and try to understand why it is showing up. When you feel anxious, hit pause and reflect. You are the only one who can figure it out, so brushing it off is not exactly a great idea.Fitness bands and rings can track REM sleep and heart rate these days. They give you a snapshot of your health. But too much data can only stress you out. You can’t directly control those numbers, so overanalyzing them can backfire. Instead, focus on what’s in your hands. If you wake up tired, accept that it is going to be a tough day, but you are going to be okay. Instead of stressing about the previous day, focus on what you can do today. Get more sunlight so that your circadian rhythm resets. Try to get to bed early, exercise, and find a routine that can calm you at night.Yes, you can multitask. But do you have to when you have something important to do? Multitasking can feel like being more productive, and it will surely give you a dopamine boost. But the productivity is often an illusion. To switch tasks, your prefrontal cortex has to work hard. This is the same part of your brain that helps you make decisions and solve problems. So making decisions while multitasking can lead to mistakes. It is also accompanied by mental exhaustion.This may sound odd, but you have to stop looking on the bright side. While positive thinking is a powerful tool, always relying on it could make you feel worse. Most high achievers fall for this trap. They tend to push away their negative feelings and look at the brighter side. For instance, if you are feeling sad, acknowledge that and label your emotions. This will ease the load on your amygdala and release tension.Most high achievers do this by default. They confuse productivity with self-worth, but it is dangerous. If you focus on your goals to avoid feeling like a failure, you are elevating your stress hormones. You might get a quick dopamine boost upon achieving the goal and feel motivated, but in the long term, it will lead to burnout. Instead, understand that productivity is not equal to your worth. There are going to be days when, despite your effort, things are not going to turn out the way you want. So instead of tying that to your self-worth, take a step back and remind yourself you are doing your best.