Bad Habits That Harm Your Brain as You Age

The importance of brain health is currently at the forefront of many medical journals, possibly, in part because of the growing concerns regarding Alzheimer’s-like symptoms of COVID-19 infection and also in part to the fact that progression on Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia is essential to aid the country’s aging population.

There is no doubt, the brain is a vital organ in the human body that requires special care for proper functionality; how the brain functions determine how other organs will function. Another fact that can’t be denied is the impact that regular exercise and balanced nutrition provide the brain to function well. Regardless of the fact that age can play a significant role on causing gradual changes to the brain and reducing brain functionality, there are several habits that, if maintained, can cause expedited damage and have been found to cause additional harm to your brain over time.

Therefore avoiding the following bad habits that cause brain damage, and adopting good habits in their place, can go a long way when it comes to keeping your brain healthy.

Unhealthy Eating Patterns and Dietary Choices

A bad diet is a significant risk factor for any disease, and leading to brain damage is no exception. Consuming high levels of refined sugars can destroy the brain’s ability to absorb vital nutrients and proteins and lead to issues with depression, learning disorders and poor memory. Likewise, diets that are high in fat, salt and preservatives increase the risk of developing health conditions like hypertension and diabetes, which can affect how blood vessels supply oxygen to the brain. This can ultimately lead to brain tissues dying off and increases the chances of declining brain function.

In addition, overeating tends to lead to brain damage as it causes the thickening of blood vessels in the brain through the deposition of cholesterol plaques. This cuts down the supply of blood to the brain cells and can lead to severe damage to normal brain function, and the onset of obesity as a result can increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

By eating a well-balanced and nutrient-dense diet, you can promote general health throughout your body, including your brain. Some nutrient-dense options that have been found to boost brain and cognitive health include leafy and green vegetables, such as kale, spinach and broccoli; fatty fish, such as salmon, cod and canned light tuna; berries, specifically blueberries and strawberries; and nuts, like walnuts and pistachios.

In addition to focusing on the types of foods consumed, other studies have looked at the type of meals habits and how they can impact brain health and have found that skipping breakfast, or eating a low-quality breakfast, can also have a negative effect on cognitive function. In addition, other studies show that including the practice of intermittent fasting, whereby eating only your three meals a day with no snacking in between, can increase neuroplasticity in the brain and help optimize brain function.

Poor Sleeping Habits

Leading neurological studies over the last decade have started to unveil an increasingly interconnected relationship between sleep quality and the physiological health of the brain, and the results have shown that poor quality sleep can directly cause Alzheimer’s disease.

Sleep deprivation interferes with the normal functioning of the brain. Failing to sleep for the recommended 6 to 8 hours is a state of chronic sleep deprivation which can lead to cognitive issues. This consistent lack of quality sleep can lead to a sleep debt, the act of trying to sleep in to catch up on lost sleep from previous nights. But overcoming sleep debt is impossible as the sleep deprived state can affect memory retention as certain brain cells die. In extreme cases, these bad habits may cause permanent damage and loss of brain cells that cannot be reversed by getting enough sleep later.

Good sleep is important for your body’s brain function and general health as it allows the body and mind to recover from a long day and helps restore and maintain a healthy circadian system in the body. If you’re not getting enough sleep, begin by looking for natural ways to improve your sleep cycle. This may involve turning off electronics one hour before bed, engaging in relaxing activities, replacing your bedding with more comfortable fabric, or turning the AC down to create a cooler temperature at night.

Additionally, taking a pulsatile-release formula of a melatonin supplement before bedtime to mimic your body’s melatonin production can aid in quality sleep throughout the night. Several studies show that melatonin supplements also provide antioxidant properties that can reverse chemical reactions in the brain that are responsible for cell damage and tau-protein buildup (which occurs when you are sleep deprived), both of which can contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Not Exercising Regularly

Exercise not only increases one’s mobility, flexibility and promotes the secretion of happiness hormones called endorphins. What you might not realize is that studies show that exercise can also enhance cognitive fitness and brain health. So, how exactly does working out regularly impact your brain? Physical activity promotes cardiovascular health, improving blood flow to the brain, reducing inflammation and lowering stress hormone levels, ultimately improving cognitive health. In addition, studies show that regular physical activity may also increase the thickness of the cerebral cortex and improve the integrity of white matter, the nerve fibers that connect areas of the brain and allow for the exchange of information between those areas in your brain.

Failing to exercise can also reduce mobility and thus the brain’s power of movement, decrease motor skills and stability and increase the risk of depression.

To benefit the most from physical activity, aim for 150 minutes (only 2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic, or cardio, activity such as jogging, walking, biking, swimming, etc. In addition, try engaging in mentally stimulating exercises as well such as reading, puzzles or mastering a new language.

Alcohol, Smoking and Drug Use

There’s no denying that when it comes to alcohol, smoking and drug use, these tend to fall on the list of bad habits, and when it comes to brain health, it’s with good reason.

Alcohol consumption in high quantities can lead to the death of brain cells, and when consumed for extended durations, alcohol consumption can lead to chemical imbalances and can actually decrease brain volume. Studies, however, show that regardless of the consumption levels, alcohol has widespread adverse effects on the brain including “negatively linearly association with global brain grey matter volume” and negative associations with “white matter microstructure.”

Smoking is one of the most common bad habits we indulge in. Like alcohol consumption, smoking causes a number of health issues and can damage the walls of blood vessels, affect blood delivery and oxygen to the brain and lead to the shrinking of brain cells. Smoking is even a risk factor for disorders like Alzheimer’s or dementia, in fact, studies have shown that smokers are 30 percent more likely to develop dementia and 40 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Likewise, drug use for recreational or medicinal purposes leads to temporary or permanent brain damage. By design, drugs are meant to temporarily alter brain function, which may damage the neuronal pathways to the brain affecting normal brain functioning.

All these are bad habits that pose significant risks to the brain, thus to protect your brain health, cutting them from your routine is the best option for improving brain and overall health.

Lack of Socialization

If you’ve been having a harder time remembering things or processing information, it could be a result of isolation especially with quarantines and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Isolation and lack of interactions has been shown to cause brain shrinkage and brain changes that are often associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Believe it or not, interacting with others promotes brain growth and development.

In fact, meeting and socializing with new people, or socializing with friends has been found to promote creativity and expression, and intellectual conversations can improve the brain’s capacity and functionality by strengthening it through use. Socialization can help prevent mental decline and even lower the risk of dementia. In one study, researchers found that individuals over the age of 50 who have the highest mental agility had one thing in common, and that was a close-knit group of friends with whom they regularly socialize.

Participating in regular socialization and taking advantage of opportunities to mingle with others can be a helpful opportunity, in the right situations, to keep the brain active and healthy.

How to Protect Brain Health and Cognition

With the damaging effects on the brain pointed out, it’s important to note that there are several proven ways to improve cognitive health.

• Proper nutrition
• Getting enough sleep
• Regular exercise
• Cutting unhealthy lifestyle habits
• Staying social
• Effective stress management
• Keep learning new things to exercise the mind
• Monitoring medications

Brain health is becoming a hot topic of health concern. With many of us unaware of how our everyday activities may damage our minds and predispose us to disorders like dementia, it’s important to check in occasionally to determine what changes can be made to best impact or brain and cognitive health for greater aging wellness.