The 5 Worst Things for Your Brain: They Make You Stupid and Lower Your Intelligence

Here you will find all the materials from the 21st Health Market Forum

IQ levels can decline with age, and this is related to the fact that we stop learning new things and use well-known patterns of thinking and acting instead of looking for other solutions, Zwierciadło quotes.

There are at least five habits that harm our brains. These are the ones we should avoid:

• lack of brain training – intellectual laziness is harmful, so it's worth reading, developing your passions, and learning new skills. Solving crossword puzzles or exploring new places in the area is also a good idea;
• too little sleep — sleeping less than 7 hours a day can lead not only to a decline in our intellectual abilities but also to an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. During sleep, the mind processes and consolidates information acquired during the day, and new connections are formed that enable the acquisition of knowledge;
• Alcohol consumption – people who consume eight or more drinks per week have the greatest brain changes. These individuals have a 133% higher risk of developing cerebral vascular changes;
• Daily chaos and distraction – it's essential to develop a consistent daily rhythm, including wake-up and meal times. It's also crucial to combat procrastination and phone-checking. Virtually any activity that distracts you from the task at hand will slow down progress, create a state of constant distraction, and increase the risk of errors.
• Too much scrolling – it turns out that prolonged smartphone use causes gray matter atrophy in the brain, the area responsible for logical thinking, planning, and emotional control, among other things. Therefore, it's a good idea to set a timer for apps that are hardest to break away from.

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