It is no hidden secret that we all are leading stressful lives. Scoring well in our academics, hunting for a good job, family tensions, financial pressures, etc., are what keep running in our minds most days in our life.

And the outcome? Our health has to compromise! But very few of us understand that the most affected organ in the process is the brain.

The brain is an important organ of our body, and its proper functioning must always be our first concern. Here are few daily habits that can cause brain damage:

1. Skipping Breakfast:

While you’re in a hurry to reach office on time, you skip your morning breakfast thinking that you will have something later. This happens frequently, doesn’t it? Let me warn you that this habit may turn out to be harmful in the long run.

It leaves your brain malnourished early in the day, thereby depriving it of the essential nutrients that keep it healthy and active. It also causes brain degeneration by lowering blood sugar levels.

2. Dehydration:

You might be aware of the fact that our brain mostly comprises water. When we keep our body dehydrated, the body cells start to shrink, and to overcome this absence of water, our body borrows water from the brain – and this causes the shrinkage of brain cells.

Water does no harm to the body! To protect your brain cells from getting damaged, keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

3. Overeating:

Eating more than what is actually required can be harmful to your brain. It causes confusion in the brain and results in an imbalance in the production of insulin.

Overeating may also lead to the hardening of brain arteries that can cause memory loss.

4. Lack Of Sleep:

Sleep is an equally important part of your lifestyle that allows your brain to take some rest. Sleep deprivation for a long time may accelerate the death of brain cells.

The more the number of cells that die, the higher the chances of memory loss.

5. Covering Your Head While Sleeping:

No matter how cold it is outside, never ever cover your head with a blanket (or a bed sheet) while sleeping. By doing so, you actually cut off the intake of fresh air, thereby increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide.

A daily habit of covering your head with a blanket may lead to headaches and even dementia.

6. Too Much Of Stress:

As we all know, stress is not good for the body, and definitely not for the brain. Whenever we’re stressed out, our kidneys produce a chemical named cortisol. Excess production of cortisol may kill the brain cells.

7. Smoking:

Well this one is a no-brainer. Smoking is one of the worst habits that not only mess with the brain, but with a lot of other things in the body.

Regular smoking leads to the thinning of the cortex over time and gradually becomes the root cause of brain shrinkage.

Now that’s something not desirable, right?

8. Consuming Too Much Sugar:

Okay, we all know that you’re a diehard fan of chocolates, cakes, pastries and all other sweets – but if you wish to remain sharp, then you need to surely cut down your sugar intake.

Too much of sugar interrupts the absorption of proteins causing malnutrition, and may also interfere with the development of the brain. It harms the memory and learning capabilities.

9. Doing Intense Brain Activity When You Are Ill:

Doctors suggest complete bed rest when you’re sick, and there is a reason behind it. The brain needs to work overtime during an illness; and at that sensitive stage, overworking of the brain may lead to the destruction of some gray cells.

So, while you’re not well, just stay calm and relax.

10. Underuse:

Well, your mother was kind of right when she often told you how your brain has ‘rusted’ because you were sitting idle. Brain, just like any other muscle, develops with use. Just like our body needs some sort of exercise to keep our muscles toned, our brain too needs exercise to stay healthy. It needs activity to remain sharp.

The best way to use our brain is to start thinking. There is a possibility that your brain might shrink if it is lacking in stimulating thoughts.

So, time to get out that crossword puzzle or start solving that Sudoku!

Psst…even memory based video games can help!

11. Speaking Rarely:

Talking and expressing our feelings or emotions activate our brain and encourage us to think more. So, it is very important for everyone to talk and express their feelings so that the brain is able to function at its optimal level.

By keeping your feelings inside and not speaking much, you’re imprisoning your thoughts and ideas. So, express your thoughts whenever you feel like, or else, it will affect your overall health.

12. Air Pollution:

As we all know, the brain is the largest oxygen consumer in the human body – and inhaling too much of polluted air decreases the oxygen supply to your brain, thereby decreasing its efficiency.

So, breathe as much fresh air as you can!

Now that you know the side effects of these daily habits, change them right away.

The post 12 Brain Damaging Habits You Should Stop Now! appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Jyotsana rao via STYLECRAZE