10 habits that damage your brain

Namaste!

Our brain needs special care to keep it healthy and active. But unfortunately, unknowingly, some habits may cause damage to our brains.

We must consciously cultivate good habits and avoid following bad habits to prevent brain damage. Today let’s see 10 habits that can be harmful for your brain.

One – Working when sick

Overwork sometimes causes stress and leads to illness. The brain’s energy gets depleted when one continues to work during sickness. Remember, our body is fighting hard with the infection during any illness. Mental or physical work will only add burden to it.

So, during any illness or injury, allow your brain and body to recuperate and rest.

Two – Eating too much sugar

Too much intake of refined sugar is known to destroy the ability of the brain and body to absorb proteins and nutrients. This could lead to brain disorders like poor memory, learning disorders, hyperactivity and depression.

Gradually and mindfully, reduce the dosage of sugar in your daily diet for better cognitive function and good health.

Three – Skipping meals

A healthy brain needs the support of nutrients at regular intervals to function properly. A hectic lifestyle may compel one to skip meals every now and then. This may lead to lack of glucose and nutrients to the brain. In the long term this may cause degeneration of the brain cells.

Make good health your priority and avoid skipping meals for better brain health.

Four – Too much entertainment

A moderate amount of entertainment such as listening to music, watching a show on TV, or chatting online with friends is good for staying healthy in body and mind. However, research also shows that those who watched television through the day showed reduced volume in their frontal cortex and entorhinal cortex. Constantly engaging with social media is also known to increase depression, anxiety, loneliness, lack of self-esteem and thoughts of self-harm.

Become more mindful of how you spend your free time and the quality and quantity of your entertainment.

Five - Lack of peaceful sleep

Not getting enough sleep can affect long-term memory and decision-making ability. When you sleep, the cerebrospinal fluid flowing in the brain helps clear out excess proteins. Lack of good sleep may cause an accumulation of amyloid, a protein that could lead to Alzheimer’s Disease and the memory loss that is associated with this disease.

Ensure that you are getting enough sleep through the night by following a healthy sleep routine.

Six – Complaining

Wasting precious time in complaining is not good for anybody. Even researches have proven that 30 minutes of complaining every day physically damages a person's brain. Interestingly it works both ways – for the one who is complaining and for the one who is listening! Complaining and listening to complaints affects neurons in the hippocampus – which is the part of the brain used for problem solving and cognitive function. Complaining is also associated with negative energy which is toxic for your overall health and well-being.

Find clever ways of handling your relationships and the events that happen in your life.

Seven – Inactivity

When a person is lethargic and does not get enough physical exercise, the brain’s power decreases and also leads to instability and decline of motor skills. Physical activity releases happy hormones called endorphins which help to keep you younger and keeps your body and mind in excellent health.

Every day, regardless of how you are feeling, get up, and go outside your house for some physical activity or a long walk. If you are young or in good physical health, get involved in some vigorous activity or exercise.

Eight – Spending a lot of time in the dark

Less sunlight can cause a decrease in your body's production of serotonin – which is a brain chemical that helps to determine your mood. Less light can also alter the brain's balance of melatonin, a chemical produced during the hours of darkness that determines sleep patterns. Some studies even states that spending too much time in dark or dim places may change the brain's structure and affect one's memory and learning ability.

Avoid staying in dimly-lit enclosed rooms for a long time during the day and try to get some sunlight on your body in the morning or evening hours.

Nine - Not providing the brain enough stimulation to think

It is observed that people who do not think much or often enough have shrinking brains. It is essential to give the brain some thinking exercise every day.

Activities such as intellectual challenges, learning new skills, problem-solving, reading and writing trains and enhances the brain for better functioning and prevents it from degeneration.

Ten – Holding on to anger and bad memories

You see, adrenalin and other neurochemicals in the brain are activated with anger and painful or traumatic memories. This brings the emotional side of the brain to the forefront and causes a disconnection from the part of the brain that conducts reasoning and cognitive processing.

Analyse how you react to situations and what triggers negative memories in your mind. Gently and mindfully make efforts to change your thought patterns.

So now we have seen these 10 habits or regular practices that can harm our brains. Most of the time, we do not realise the effects of these habits. In order to maintain your brain in good health all your life, it is time to consciously cultivate good habits.

In our Indian tradition, we have practices such as meditation and mantra chanting to protect the brain and mind. It is said -

मननात् त्रायते इति मन्त्र:

This means – By repetition of which you are protected is called mantra.

To prevent brain damage, practice yoga, cultivate good habits and maintain excellent brain health for all your life.

(Authored by: Dr Hansaji Yogendra, The Yoga Institute)