5 Surprising Ways You're Damaging Your Brain

Health & Wellness Disclosure: The information provided in this post is for educational purposes only. To the best of my knowledge, all information and advice are believed to be accurate and true. Please consult with a health specialist, medical practitioner, or doctor before making any decisions that may impact your health or well-being. 

Your brain is the control center of the body.  It controls and coordinates your actions and reactions, allows you to think and feel, and enables you to have memories and feelings.  But did you know that you may be unknowingly doing things that can destroy your brain?

Here are five things that can destroy your brain:

1. Sitting for too long:  A study found that too much sitting damages the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory.  You should get up every 30 minutes to walk around, do push-ups, squats, or whatever.  Any kind of movement is good for your brain.

   
   

   

   
   

2. Lack of socialization:  Lack of socialization can lead to depression and a higher risk for Alzheimer's.  It can accelerate cognitive decline.  A 2021 study found that loneliness causes you to lose the gray matter in your brain.  You should challenge yourself to interact with someone you trust daily. You can also join a social network like a book club or sign up for an art class, poetry group, or any other social activity with your local community. Volunteering your time to help others is also a wonderful way for healthy socialization!

   
   

   

   
   

3. Lack of sleep:  Research shows that people who sleep less than seven hours a night have a decline in their cognitive skills: memory, reasoning, and problem solving. A lack of sleep impairs the brain and can lead to Alzheimer's.  To get more sleep, you should go to bed earlier to give your brain enough time to wind down, read a physical book, and stay off digital devices. A hot cup of herbal tea is also very calming.

   
   

   

   
   

4. Chronic stress:  Chronic stress kills brain cells and shrinks the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for memory and learning. While we can’t eliminate all the stress from our lives, we can do things to help alleviate it:  practice breathing exercises, walk in nature, meditate with prayer, exercise at least three times a week, and let go of the things that are out of our control. In addition, surround yourself with positive people and disconnect from anything or anyone who causes you stress.

   
   

   

   
   

5. Eating too much sugar:  High sugar consumption may cause inflammation in the brain regions that are crucial for memory. A 2017 study found that high intakes of sugary beverages lowered total brain volume and resulted in poorer performance on tests of episodic memory.  In addition, the study found that daily fruit juice intake was linked to a lower total brain volume, hippocampal volume, and poorer episodic memory. Excess sugar consumption was linked to Alzheimer’s disease and mental disorders.  You can lower your sugar intake by avoiding sugary drinks, sweets, and by reading the food labels. There are a ton of hidden sugars in the foods that we eat under the names: cane sugar, sucrose, fructose, agave nectar, maltose, dextrose, and high fructose corn syrup.  Any ingredient that ends in “ose” is sugar.

Our brain is the most complex organ in our body and is crucial to our overall health.  By understanding how it works and functions, we can help it to stay healthy by making better lifestyle choices, so we can live a longer and happier life.

Author’s Bio

Isabella Boston is a wordsmith and the creator of Bella’s Attic Studio: A multi-media writing platform and storytelling blog specializing in copywriting, marketing, and content writing. 

She is well-versed in medical terminology and scientific research with a focus on the areas of neuroscience, immunology, and functional health.  She is also a diarist and a published author.

When Isabella is not writing, she enjoys reading, vintage-style fashion, learning a new language, and spreading God’s Holy Word.

"Together we can share your stories, promote your cause, and connect you to your target audience one word at a time."