Oral communication uses a different part of the brain than written. If you don’t often talk to other people, you don’t exercise this part of the brain.
Additionally, we are social animals and are meant to talk to one another; lack of social interaction can cause depression and anxiety—also products of the brain.7. Sleep Deprivation
brain parts
Not enough emphasis can be put on the value of regular, good quality, adequate amounts of sleep. Your brain is as active while sleeping as while awake.
Two of the critical activities that take place while you sleep are the long-term storage of memories and daily housekeeping, eliminating toxins.
Without enough sleep, your memory suffers and you run a much greater risk of neurodegenerative disease due to plaque accumulation.8. Smoking
Cigarettes contain a host of toxic chemicals, many adversely affecting the brain. From 2004 research:
“The study found that cigarette smoking alone caused damage to neuronal viability and cell membranes in the midbrain and on cell membranes of the cerebellar vermis. These brain regions are involved in fine and gross motor functions and balance and coordination.”
Best to quit before you start drooling. The good news is that the body is extraordinarily resilient and most of any damage caused by smoking will be repaired over a relatively short time.9. Sugar
Too much sugar intake is bad for every system in your body, including the central nervous system. Studies have shown links between regular excess sugar ingestion and Alzheimer’s disease.10. Air pollution
This is a biggie. The only way to avoid air pollution is to continuously wear an oxygen mask. The air we breathe is full of harmful particles that affect all facets of the human condition.
Air pollution has been found to cause brain shrinkage and cognitive impairment, amongst other things. What we breathe and absorb through skin moves through the bloodstream, permeating every organ—including the brain.
Researchers have linked air pollution to the development and exacerbation of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
What’s more, ambient air pollution is just as bad. There really is no small-scale solution to this. Banning geoengineering would be a great start.
