4 Terrible Brain Habits

At my last annual wellness exam, my doctor chided me for the number of hours I sit working at the computer versus the number of hours I spend getting some exercise.

“All that sitting isn’t good for your brain,” she admonished. “Until we can clone brains, you need to take care of the one you have.”

Sigh. She’s right, of course. We all have bad habits, but some of them can really take a toll on our mental abilities.

Yes, too much office chair/comfy couch time is one of those habits, but new research finds that what’s also detrimental to brain health include:

• Dwelling on the bad stuff. Dwelling on the negative is bad for your mood — and your brain.
• Not doing enough to help others. Volunteering to help others not only helps them, it has physical and mental benefits for you, too.
• Snoring loud enough to wake the neighbors. If people are complaining about your thunderous snoring, don't just ignore them — talk to your doctor about improving your nighttime breathing. Sleep apnea has been linked to impaired thinking and memory.
• Relying too heavily on alcohol to get you through stressful times, including the current pandemic, and others. Many of us are drinking more during this pandemic, data shows, but even moderate drinking has been linked to shrinkage in the brain region involved in learning and memory.

Read more about the Bad Habits That May Take a Toll on Brain Health and what you can do to dial down some of their bad effects.

_{This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide any expert, professional or specialty advice or recommendations. Readers are urged to consult with their medical providers for all questions.}