[Upbeat Music] Hello Psych2goers! Welcome back to another video! Before we start, we would like to thank
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Did you know that certain daily habits can damage your brain? And we aren’t just talking about
affecting your mental well-being, these habits are actually closely linked to causing damage
to your brain itself. This is important because damaged brain tissue can make you more susceptible
to developing illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, which stem from cognitive
decline. Therefore becoming aware of some of these habits may help you reduce the risk of
damaging your brain early on! So with that, here are 9 harmful habits that can damage your brain.
Before we begin, we would like to mention that this video is created for educational purposes
only and is not intended to substitute a medical or professional diagnosis. If you suspect you
experience cognitive decline or any health conditions in general, we highly advise you to
seek help from a qualified health professional. Number One: Staying in the Dark Too Much Do you often stare into absolute darkness,
hoping that you’d fall asleep but can't? Do you love staying in the dark even during day time?
Not getting enough natural light may make you depressed, and that can have a negative impact on
your brain. Sunlight helps keep your brain working well. Without it, your brain doesn't know when or
how to release that sweet, sweet melatonin. So, ironically, staying in the dark for too long
will eventually leave you sleep-deprived. Number Two: Consuming too much negative news Did you know that the media you consume
every day can impact your emotions, thinking, and behavior? According to Psychotherapist,
Annie Miller, it can be damaging to constantly read about the news because constant exposure
to negative information can impact your brain. The over-consumption of negative news can
trigger your fight or flight response, which can take a toll on your
physical, emotional, and mental health. Number Three: Blasting headphones Did you know that listening to music a little
too loud could be bad for your brain? While using headphones to listen to music can be convenient
and relaxing, blasting music to your ears for a long period of time can actually do more harm
than good for your brain. Experts have agreed that loud music may lead to hearing loss, which
could cause memory impairments down the line. Number Four: Social isolation Do you always avoid social events or gatherings?
The impact of social isolation can actually be pretty shocking. Other than the commonly known
mental health effects of social isolation, such as depression, there are also potential
negative effects on the brain itself. According to a 2012 study from The Ohio State University,
chronic social stress, such as social isolation, causes stress responses in the brain that
can make you more susceptible to strokes. Number Five: Too much screen time Do you spend a lot of your time on the internet
or social media? Too much screen time can not only damage your mental health, but it can damage both
gray and white matter in several key areas of the brain, such as the frontal lobe, where processing
and higher-order thinking occurs. While it would be almost impossible to go without technology or
social media completely in today’s day and age, it’s important to be conscious of and moderate
the amount of time you spend in front of a screen. Number Six: Consuming too much sugar Are you the type to crave candy bars,
cupcakes, or sodas after a long day? This may be because craving sugar is one of
your brain’s ways of responding to stress. But it’s important to be aware of just
how much sugar you are consuming because, according to Pharmi Web, taking in too much sugar
may lead to an imbalance of nutrients in the body, which could further extend to
malnourishment in the brain. Number Seven: Skipping breakfast How often do you skip breakfast? Whether
it’s waking up in a frenzy or not feeling hungry early in the morning, taking a pass
on breakfast may sound appealing. However, according to Pharmi Web, it’s another practice
that can lead to malnourishment in your brain. Think about it: when you were asleep, your
body went approximately 8 hours without food. So in order to function at
your best throughout the day, it is crucial to replenish all the
energy and nutrition lost at night. Number Eight: You’re barely moving How often do you exercise? Whether
it’s taking a swim in the pool or going for a quick jog in the morning, doing
exercise can greatly improve brain function! According to Brock Armstrong from The Scientific
American, exercise helps oxygenate your brain and release growth-promoting hormones. So
depriving yourself of these exercise-induced benefits could stunt brain development, and over
time, negatively affect your overall wellbeing. Number Nine: Poor sleeping habits Do you sleep enough, or too much?
The number of hours you sleep as well as the way you sleep can have an
effect on your energy, mental health, as well as impact your brain function and
memory. Being deprived of enough sleep can negatively impact your long-term memory, and cause
your brain to function in ways it’s not used to. Similarly, according to Pharmi Web,
sleeping with your covers over your head is also bad for your brain as it disrupts
the oxygen flow between your brain and body. Do you relate to any of these harmful
habits? Recognizing these habits early on and working to change them can help you
minimize your risk of damaging brain tissue. If you find this video helpful, be sure
to like, and share this video with those who might benefit from it, and don’t forget
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a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below.
Thanks for watching and see you in our next video! Video by Psych2Go.
