Humans have a history of having lived in much simpler times than the modern days can afford us. Technology advancements in almost every field under the sun has made life grow in leaps and bounds. But it has also unnecessarily complicated it further. In the earlier days, everybody did not have access to you all the time which made it so much easier to catch a break every so often to recharge your brain. Now because we are almost constantly on one or the other device, people just have constant and unapologetic access to you at all times of the day.
While making us more lethargic in the physical sense, this lifestyle has also infiltrated the safe haven of our brains. It has made the brain work consistently in overdrive which has increased the cases of mental burnouts, exhaustion and hampered brain functioning in the long run. At least half of the people in the world are presently suffering from these problems, and the other half are surely headed towards them. If you would like to know more about some extremely damaging habits for our brain, read on!
- Not Getting Enough Stimulation:
With automation ruling our world and machines becoming capable enough to do most of our daily work, all we are usually left with is bland and unimaginative routine work. This is certainly not how our brains were supposed to function. The brain needs enough mental stimulation, both creatively as well as physically to maintain its sanity. If you tend to do only one similar kind of work on a daily basis, the chances of your brain getting bored and burning out are really high. You can prevent this from happening by routinely engaging and challenging your brain by doing puzzles and some creative activities.
- Not Drinking Fluids:
Just like the brain needs the right kind of food to function well, it also needs enough fluids in the body for it. Not drinking enough water on a day to day basis is a big fallacy that you need to rectify immediately or you run the risk of damaging your brain irreparably. You may have noticed that when you do not drink anything for a number of hours, you start getting really bad headaches. That is your brain’s way of telling you to get some hydration as soon as possible. In order to do that, you can try to keep a water bottle on your desk which can also serve as a way to remind you to keep drinking water whilst it being in easy reach of you.
- Not Reducing Your Screen Time:
Spending way too much time on screens is also a way to put a lot of strain on your brain, your neck as well as your eyes. If your work is majorly online, then there really is not much you can do in the way of reducing your screen time. But you can try to limit your personal scrolling and keep it to a bare minimum. Additionally, you can use a cool pack to ease the momentary discomfort that your back and eyes face. But this situation definitely requires a much more permanent solution, otherwise you run the risk of ruining your physical as well as mental health in the long run.
- You Do Not Step Out:
The brain tends to get quite bored if it is repeatedly exposed to similar surroundings and routines on a daily basis. So it is of utmost importance to keep switching up your places of working frequently to keep your brain active as well as agile. If the majority of your work is online, it becomes even more necessary to follow this step. Make it a point to step out of the virtual world into the real one sometimes. Interact with real people and meet up with your near and dear ones. This can help to refresh your mind as well as ease the stress and burden that you may be feeling.
- You Function On Very Less Sleep:
If you feel like sleep is not that important and that your body can easily function without a good eight hours of sleep on a regular basis, then you are wrong. Out of all the parts of our body, the one which works almost all the time without catching a break is the brain. Sleeping is one of the best ways to provide rest and refreshment to your mind. If you do not do that enough, it can impair your brain’s functioning over time. This can also materialise in the form of experiencing delusions and having memory problems. If you are indeed suffering from issues like these, it might be time to give your brain a much needed break.
- Multitasking A Lot:
Many studies have recently shown that multitasking can be really damaging to the brain, especially if it is done on too frequent a basis. For a number of years, humans have believed that doing more than one thing at a time can make them attain the utmost level of productivity, but these beliefs are steadily being refuted as newer claims are increasingly coming through. Focusing on more than one important task at a time can lead the brain to lose focus. It can also make it feel burnt out way earlier than normal.
- You Eat Too Much Sugar:
Sugar and foods heavy in it are associated with lesser brain function. Indulging in a large amount of sugary foods and drinks throughout the day results in slower cognitive levels of the brain. This can mean that your brain takes more time to understand and do even simple everyday tasks. If you fail to limit your sugar intake on a regular basis, it is bound to have an irreparable negative effect on your mental as well as physical health. If you do have an incurable sweet tooth, try opting for fruits and vegetables which are naturally sweet instead of adding sugar to your meals.
It is quite easy to unknowingly compromise on the health of our brain by engaging in these activities which can cause irrevocable damage to it. But since now you are aware about these harmful habits, do try to cut them out completely or at least make an attempt to limit them. We hope you found this article helpful. If so, do let us know in the comments below!