7. Sleep Deprivation
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.
