The human brain is one of the most complex systems that exist in nature, but it is also relatively fragile.
The balances you need to stay in good health can be altered by a wide variety of situations and, in particular, are greatly affected by harmful habits that destroy our neurons.
In the same way that our nerve cells intervene in thousands of processes that influence our lives, what we do and the routines we adopt also affect the well-being of our neurons. And, since there are so many of them in our brain, sometimes we don’t realize that little by little we are leaving many behind, more than would be normal for our age.
That is why Knowing these habits that destroy neurons is important if we want to stay in good health in the present and in the future.
This list of routines and customs that damage the health of our brain contains actions and states that, by omission or commission, wear down our mental capacities, some of them in the short term and regardless of the permanent damage they cause. Let’s see what they are.
1. Stress
Stress not only makes us feel bad, it also destroys neurons, especially if it becomes chronic.
This occurs because this state is associated with a large release of cortisol, a hormone that is used to divert resources to biological processes that give more importance to the here and now in order to get out of urgent problems. One of the side effects of large amounts of cortisol is that neurons become more neglected and, furthermore, the immune system is weakened
2. Lack of sleep
There is numerous research that links prolonged lack of sleep with the death of neurons and the decrease in some parts of the brain, including the hippocampus.
This type of damage produces, in the long term, memory problems and also affect the ability to concentrate.
3. Monotony
Lifestyles based on monotony make the variety of ways in which neurons connect with each other more limited, and this means that the least used ones end up dying. It’s that easy: Nerve cells that cannot be used disappear
4. Take drugs
This is one of the best known effects of drugs. Chemical addiction causes all mental functions to be directed towards obtaining a new dose, neglecting the maintenance tasks of the nervous system. On the other hand, the interference of foreign substances in the functioning of neurons It causes many of them to age and die prematurely.
5. Consume tobacco
Technically both tobacco is a drug, so this shouldn’t surprise us: Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s not harmful Its substances are capable of generating a very serious addiction and permanently damage our neurons.
6. Breathe in polluted environments
Brain It is one of the sets of organs in the human body that consume the most resources A large amount of the toxic particles that we absorb daily will end up there, even though the blood-brain barrier protects us from many of them.
When we notice that we are thirsty, it is important to quench it as soon as possible, otherwise our body will begin to extract water from the cells of our body, causing some to die. And yes, neurons too.
8. Working with a fever
When we are sick we are particularly vulnerable, and any activity that requires effort It can strain our body so much that permanent damage occurs at a microscopic level. In those situations, it is much better to let them take care of us and stop worrying about secondary issues.
A healthier life to maintain brain health
In short, there are many negative daily habits that damage our neurons. Although at first we may think that a carefree lifestyle that does not take health into account harms the body and that’s it, it is necessary to remember that our brain is part of that body They are not two separate things, in the same way that there is no fundamental distinction between mind and matter; In psychology and science in general, dualism has been ruled out.
That is why a healthy life will have a positive impact on both the appearance of our body and the good state of our mental functions, even though the effects on the latter are not immediately noticeable and are more hidden by the lack of a mirror in the one to check its status. Avoiding these neuron-destroying habits can be a good start to living better
