Aging can cause all sorts of physical and chemical changes in the brain that negatively affect your cognitive skills, memory and others. This does not mean, however, that there is nothing you can do to delay the aging of your gray matter. If you dream of having superb brain power at the age of 50 and beyond, steer clear of these brain-aging habits:
Pleasing Your Sweet Tooth a Lot
The consumption of loads of refined sugar can have devastating effects on your brain in the long run. Refined sugar can cause inflammation, something that can wreak havoc to your tissues and organs, including most especially your brain. Cut back on your consumption of sweet treats if you want to treat your brain right.
Eating at Your Favorite Fast Food Joints
Similarly, the inclusion of greasy and fatty foods in your everyday diet can make your brain age at a much faster rate. Again, it has something to do with inflammation. Besides, it’s not just your brain that is at risk of going out of commission earlier than necessary when you consume fast food, but also your heart.
Living in the Metropolis
It’s true that residing in the city gives you easy access to a lot of things, from your workplace to your favorite takeout. However, it also exposes you to air pollution, which can be very bad for your brain. Experts say that pollution can decrease the volume of your gray matter, plus increase your risk of silent strokes.
Drinking Alcohol — Even in Moderate Amounts
Medical experts say that consuming alcohol moderately (2 glasses for men and 1 glass for women per day) offers some amazing cardiovascular benefits. However, drinking alcohol even in moderate amounts do not come without risks, according to a study which found out that it can actually decrease the production of brain cells by 40 percent.
Smoking Cigarettes
Everyone knows that cigarette smoking is a habit that’s bad for your overall health. Since it can impede blood circulation, smoking cigarettes can greatly diminish the brain’s supply of oxygen and nutrients. Not only will this terribly affect the functioning of your brain, but it can also considerably increase your risk of having a stroke!
Not Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
It is while you’re in dreamland when your body gets to repair itself, and that includes your brain. This is exactly the reason why depriving yourself of much-needed sleep is a complete no-no if you want top-notch brain power. Studies say that sleep deprivation can speed up the brain’s aging, causing an early decline in the functioning of your noodle.
Leading a Sedentary Lifestyle
Sitting all day can have all sorts of health repercussions, from obesity to heart disease. According to a research, lack of physical activity can also speed up cognitive decline. It can dull your memory, too, as having a sedentary lifestyle is linked to shrinkage of the parts of the brain where memory processing takes place.
Not Engaging in Brain-Related Activities
The more you use your brain, the longer it can stay in superb shape, say the experts. Definitely, doing crosswords and other puzzles is good for your gray matter. Even some very simple mental activities such as reading or having a conversation with someone can help stave off premature aging of the brain.
Constantly Being in Stress
It can be hard to live in this day and age without stress, and being in a constant state of stress can be terrible for your brain. Since dodging all stressors can be a very impossible feat, what you should do is try to manage your stress by having a massage, listening to music or any other proven-effective stress-busting activities.
