Daily Habits That May Be Damaging Your Brain and Hence Productivity
The world out there is getting more and more competitive with each passing day. Needless to say, in this grim world, your competence is your only means to surviving and thriving. You already realize that, and you exhibit undying spirits to sustain all kinds of odds. Your determination to bring out the best productivity in you and raising the bar every day is commendable. In the ultimate sense, it is all about mindsets and the power your brain beholds. But do you ever wonder if any of your daily habits are damaging your brain?
There is a direct correlation between cognitive abilities and productivity. When the former begins to stumble, the latter witnesses a downfall too. Having said that, it is imperative that you care for your mind and its cognitive abilities. If anything in your typical routine has damaging effects on your brain, you need to refrain from those habits. The real problem is that we are always too busy to even realize if we are hampering our own well-being.
However, the pandemic has made us realize the worth of wellness more than ever before. So, let us build on that further and focus on the need to look after the abilities and agility of our brains. You would want your brain to be at its best every day to brainstorm, learn and evolve. This is the most basic rule that you need to follow to excel in your endeavors. In fact, do you know that the human brain has the ability to generate 23 watts of power when awake? This intriguing insight from Science First tells you how immense is the power of the human brain. But you got to care for it to ensure that it is able to utilize its potential to the fullest.
In this blog, we shed light on the various human habits that can affect the human brain. This will give you a little reality check in case you are embracing any of these habits. You would not want to continue any habit that can pull down your productivity, isn’t it? So, let us find out if anything on your everyday to-do list is toxic for your brain.
Everyday habits that may have devastating impacts on your brain
1. Pursuing a sedentary lifestyle
This is no brainer! Being lazy poses all sorts of threats to your overall wellness, including your brain’s well-being. In the present times of freelancing jobs and remote working cultures, sedentary lifestyles are at their peak. All you want to do is sit on the couch with a laptop and binge eat as you work. But you need to know that this can have some severe repercussions on your brain’s health.
When you do not move much, you are at a high risk of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiac diseases. All these potential risks further pose a high risk of Alzheimer’s. As per Alzheimer’s Association, more than 6 million people across ages are affected by this disease. What is more frightening is that this number is expected to rise to 13 million by 2050. Hence, you have to be committed to caring for your brain’s health. Not caring for your brain can put your career and your overall health in jeopardy.
2. Smoking
Most people do not acknowledge the effects of smoking on the human brain. However, because we do not acknowledge these effects do not mean they do not exist. Smoking can do some terrible and irreparable damage to your brain. A medical study indicates that smoking can lead to substantial loss of brain volume. It has been inferred from research that smoking affects the subcortical regions of the human brain.
To add, regular smokers also show greater signs of age-related loss in the volumes of several regions of the brain. Hence, all that nicotine that you inhale throughout the day can deteriorate your brain beyond repair. The direct impact of it will be felt on your cognitive capabilities and the functioning of your brain. Your smoking habits may soon make your brain synonymous with a worn-out engine.
3. Sleep deprivation
While insomnia may sound like a fancy term, it can ruin your brain’s health in multifaceted ways. Your brain needs its quota of sleep and rest to reboot and rejuvenate. But you begin to follow unusual and unhealthy sleeping patterns, your brain’s power begins to reduce. It is important for you to know that sleep deprivation can cause dementia.
To explain, dementia is a common disorder that is pertinent to mental processes that are caused by brain diseases. Dementia can further lead to ramifications like loss of memory, changes in personality, and impairment of reasoning. Given that, your chaotic sleeping cycle can hit your intellect and efficiency so much that your career can come to an ironic end. So, to look after your brain, you better get your sleeping patterns right! Sleeping on time is, after all the first step towards powerful morning productivity.
4. Unchecked consumption of processed foods
Your love for your favorite hamburger or pizza may be acting as a slow poison for your brain. We already link junk foods to high obesity and other diseases, yet we continue to have them. But what is lesser-known to people are the effects junk food can have on the human brain. As per the findings of RMIT University, Australia, eating junk food is linked to inflammation in the brain. Also, excessive consumption of junk food can lead to a massive reduction in the brain’s learning capabilities and its retention.
It has been found in studies that junk food brings a significant decrease in neuroplasticity. To substantiate, neuroplasticity is essential for the retention capabilities of the brain. Moreover, the same findings suggest that junk food can slow down the generation of new neurons. This can be attributed to a large amount of sugar, fats, and other substances present in junk foods.
5. Excessive noise
You must be enjoying the vibe of your headphones on full volume in times of lockdowns. However, your romanticization of blasting your headphones is a habit that is bad for your brain. There is a little fact that should give you a sense of caution. Thirty minutes of the full volume of your headphones can damage hearing permanently. But most of us ignore this when we binge-watch our favorite shows all night!
Hearing loss in adults is a ramification of brain problems in most cases. Being exposed to loud noises for a long time can damage the tissues of your brain. When there is too much commotion, your brain puts extra effort to comprehend things and retaining them. Experts suggest that you should not turn on the volume in excess of 60 percent of your device’s maximum limit.
6. Staying in isolation
Humans have started plunging into the digital world a little too much. The compulsion to stay at home in COVID-19 lockdowns has further added to the disconnect between humans. People find it more comforting nowadays to stay in their rooms and spend maximum time on gadgets. However, such isolation can have devastating effects on your brain.
Lack of real connections can disengage people from work or other activities. Also, the lack of emotional support can make the brain susceptible to burnout. It does not matter how many friends you have on Facebook or the number of influencers on Instagram. You need real connections to be at your productive best. Isolation is a toxic habit to have,, and you must rescue yourself from the depths of the virtual world.
7. Hiding in the dark always
Are you too fascinated about staying in the dark most of the time? Well, you need to quit this habit and start enjoying the sun a little for the good of your brain. Developing the habit of darkness can make you stressed and prone to depression. This can further reduce the ability and power of your brain. At times, your surroundings have an overwhelming impact on the functioning of your brain.
On the other head, as per Healthline, sunlight can enhance the release of serotonin in the brain. This hormone is known to have proven benefits in terms of making moods better and helping a person to concentrate. Hence, for your productivity and your focus, staying in the dark is a curse. You need to increase your exposure to sunlight and let more natural light come into your room. Locking yourself up in darkness can neutralize your creativity, cognitive abilities, and the sharpness of your brain.
To conclude, your brain’s health is in your hands to a great extent. But you may be ignoring this simple fact while pursuing some of the above habits. Your brain is home to around 100 billion neurons! You have to make sure that you take care of such a sensitive organ. Your brain is the constant source of your learning efficiency and your productivity. Any harm to your brain will impact your efficiency as well and can inflict damage on your career ambitions and endeavors. So stay healthy and keep your brain super healthy!
Do you want to build and maintain new habits? Get your free PDF version of the Don't Break The Chain calendar and start today!
Do you want to build and maintain new habits? Get your free PDF version of the Don't Break The Chain calendar and start today!
Author's Bio
Jessica Chapman is a writing editor from Chicago who enjoys traveling. She works with Australian Writings, and if you need programming assignment help, she is the best person you can ask. She is also into politics and sports.
