Six habits that destroy our brains
- Aggression and anger
Did you know that angry people are dumber than kind people? When a person experiences anger, their blood produces high levels of cortisol. This hormone, in high concentrations, begins to affect the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for thinking, attention, memory and planning. When released in excess, cortisol enriches neurons with calcium, which can ultimately destroy the cells.
- Sedentary lifestyle
Physical activity can significantly impact brain health and stimulate the formation of new cells. A sedentary lifestyle causes deformation of individual neurons. Just 20 years ago, scientists believed that the brain’s structure was fully established by the age of 18–20. However, it turns out that there are areas of our brain that continue to grow throughout life. The results of an experiment published in The Journal of Comparative Neurology indicate that a lack of physical activity damages neurons in the region of the brain responsible for the sympathetic nervous system. Researchers from the University of Bristol, England, have found that physical activity reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by a third.
- Procrastination
Procrastination is the tendency to put things off, knowing that doing so will lead to harmful consequences. This symptom is common in many people today. Procrastination occurs when a person neither rests nor works. They fuss, wasting time in every possible way, just to avoid taking on new tasks. If a person constantly avoids solving problems in this way, the brain memorises an internal algorithm that expends the least amount of effort and energy and begins to work accordingly.
How to help one’s brain develop?
Do simple memory exercises every day. After watching a movie or reading a book, retell the story as closely as possible. Look at any painting for a few seconds, then put it away and recall all the details it depicts. Memorise poems and quotes.
A simple game, ‘Cities’, familiar to everyone from childhood, helps develop creative thinking. It involves naming all the words that start with the same letter. There are many variations of this game: countries, transportation, names. It is also helpful to find synonyms and antonyms for different words.
If you want to save your brain from inevitable degradation in today’s environment, set aside at least a few days a week without social media and your smartphone. Remember the pleasure a book or newspaper can bring. Try to learn something new every day.
