8 Habits That Affect Brain Health Without You Realizing It
Although it may not seem like a risk factor, stress is related to premature aging of the brain. In addition to decreasing brain activity, it also makes concentration difficult.
The brain is one of the most complex and delicate organs in the entire body, so it is essential to pay close attention to it. It participates in the regulation of functions such as the heartbeat, blood pressure or hormonal balance, among others. Therefore, it is necessary that you take into account the habits that affect brain health.
Like other parts of the body, the habits we practice every day influence brain health, for better and for worse. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
In this sense, several experts have found a relationship between daily bad practices and their deterioration from an early age. For this reason, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called on the population to take preventive measures.
1. Skip breakfast
A thousand times we have warned that breakfast should not be ignored, because, as they say, it is the most important meal of the day. In this first meal of the day, the body is provided with a good amount of nutrients and energy to carry out its functions during the day.
As long as it contains all the necessary foods, it influences physical and mental performance, as well as brain health. Skipping this meal will force the brain to make a greater effort than it should, which, in later hours, translates into a greater feeling of tiredness and bad mood.
2. Consume excess sugar
Another habit that affects brain health is the excessive consumption of sugar in the daily diet.
Not only does consuming too much sugar cause weight gain and diabetes, it has negative effects on other important systems in the body. In the case of the brain, it produces a strong feeling of anxiety that leads to eating more and more, even if it is not necessary.
Just as it is often said that all excesses (of any kind) are harmful to the body, it is also said that excessive consumption of sugar is harmful to the brain.
3. Being exposed to polluted environments
In a way, pollution also influences brain health. Urban environments are often more stressful and this constant and sustained tension is harmful to the brain.
For this reason, it is important to take breaks and leave the city, even from time to time, to relax, disconnect from the routine and breathe fresh air.
4. Not getting enough sleep
The body needs at least 7-8 hours of sleep a day – without interruptions – to carry out a series of processes that it cannot carry out at other times of the day. Therefore, not getting enough sleep is detrimental to health in many ways.
If there is not a good night’s rest, brain health suffers and this can make us more vulnerable to various issues, from bad mood and feelings of fatigue, to concentration problems.
5. Smoking
Another habit that affects brain health is smoking. The toxins released by tobacco significantly decrease brain mass, as well as the amount of oxygen that your cells regenerate. Therefore, both smokers and those who live with them are more likely to develop cognitive diseases.
Several experts agree that along with lack of sleep, one of the habits that influences the development of diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s is tobacco.
6. Being exposed to stress
As we mentioned before, stress is a very dangerous disorder that can have various consequences. It is linked to premature aging of the brain and the development of various conditions.
If there is chronic stress, brain activity decreases. This can lead to difficulties concentrating, among other issues. In fact, some cases of strokes and heart attacks have been associated with chronic episodes of this condition.
7. Consume alcohol in excess
The excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages wreaks havoc on the major organs of the body, including the complex nervous system, the liver and the heart. Its toxic substances travel through the blood to the brain and interfere with many of its activities.
In addition, alcoholism is related to the death of neurons and the decrease in the speed of transmission of nerve impulses between them.
8. Eating badly and excessively
A poor diet also damages brain health. Hence, many health and nutrition experts insist on the importance of minimizing the consumption of sugars, ultra-processed, junk and related to avoid the development of various diseases.
The importance of adopting good habits
As you can see, there are several habits that affect brain health. Therefore, it is important that you learn to detect and correct them, to avoid the consequences that they may cause.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, putting aside excesses and following your doctor’s guidelines, you can put yourself on the right path and enjoy health and well-being on a daily basis. Ready to get to it?
