6 Habits You Should Quit for Better Brain Health, According to a Neuroscientist
A healthy diet and lifestyle can have a positive impact on our brain health.
Yet, many of our day-to-day habits can silently chip away at our cognitive health.
These include an unbalanced diet, lack of sleep, drinking alcohol, social media and smoking.Your brain is nothing short of extraordinary. It's the epicenter of everything you think, feel and do. Whether you're solving a tough problem, laughing with friends or remembering your favorite song, your brain is hard at work behind the scenes, orchestrating every moment.
As important as our brains are, it's all too easy to overlook the everyday habits that quietly undermine brain health. Some of these are so common that we barely notice them. But over time, they can chip away at your cognitive strength, dull your focus and leave you more vulnerable to mental decline.
So, we spoke with neuroscientist Jamey Maniscalco, Ph.D, to find out which of these habits to look out for. Here are the top six under-the-radar habits he says could be harming your brain health.
1. Missing Out on Sleep
'We all know that sleep is important, but many of us don't recognize that it's absolutely vital for brain health,' says Maniscalco. 'Sleep isn't just rest. It's a highly active process during which your brain performs critical housekeeping, emotional processing and memory consolidation.' Sleep is also when your brain purges itself of harmful waste products that build up during your waking hours.
Chronic sleep deprivation may even raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease. One suspected reason is that insufficient sleep disrupts the brain's ability to clear out beta-amyloid, a toxic protein that builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. For instance, one study that followed nearly 8,000 people for more than 25 years found that those who routinely slept six hours or less per night during their 50s, 60s and 70s were significantly more likely to develop dementia than those who logged seven hours of sleep.
To protect your brain health, prioritize seven to nine hours of consistent sleep nightly.
2. Smoking
'Smoking isn't just damaging to the heart and lungs; it can also have serious, often overlooked consequences for brain health,' says Maniscalco. 'Cigarette smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals, many of which cross the blood-brain barrier and contribute directly to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation in brain tissue.' Over time, this may accelerate the breakdown of neurons and their supporting structures, which can lead to measurable changes in the brain's structure and function.'
That may be why research has found a strong correlation between smoking and an increased risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. According to the American Heart Association, smoking can raise the risk of dementia by 30%, and it can boost the odds of Alzheimer's disease by 40%.
Fortunately, quitting smoking can reduce this risk substantially. Support programs, nicotine replacement therapies and professional counseling are excellent resources to help you kick the habit.
3. Drinking Alcohol
Drinking alcohol, even in small amounts, may harm your brain's structure and health. One study of more than 36,000 middle-aged and older adults found that regular alcohol consumption was linked to reduced brain volume, loss of gray matter and damage to white matter. This may impair communication within the brain. Surprisingly, declines in grey and white matter volume were noticeable even in people who drank as little as one alcoholic drink a day. And the more alcohol a person drank, the more harmful its effects.
What makes alcohol so problematic? 'Alcohol is both a central nervous system depressant and a neurotoxin,' says Maniscalco. 'This means it slows down brain activity by dampening communication between neurons and, at higher levels or with chronic use, it can damage or even kill brain cells.'
We're not saying that you need to give up alcohol entirely. But if you do drink, try to stick with the recommended guidelines of no more than one drink per day for women and two for men.
4. Skimping on Healthy Foods
'Your brain is one of the most metabolically active organs in the body. It uses over 20% of your daily energy intake despite making up just about 2% of your body weight,' says Maniscalco. 'That means what you eat doesn't just affect your body composition, it directly impacts your ability to regulate your mood, memory, focus and even emotional resilience.'
Feeding your brain a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods may help it function at its best. The link between nutrition and brain health is so strong that research has found that an eating pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fish may promote greater brain volume and protect against cognitive decline. Conversely, people whose diets are highest in ultra-processed foods may experience cognitive decline considerably sooner than people who rarely eat these foods.
5. Doing the Same Thing All the Time
'The brain craves novelty. It's wired to respond to new experiences, challenges and learning opportunities, since these inputs stimulate growth, adaptation to new environments and long-term resilience,' says Maniscalco. 'Without regular exposure to novelty, we risk falling into patterns of mental autopilot, where the brain's most dynamic systems that are responsible for attention, problem-solving, memory and creativity go underused.'
Whether it's learning a new skill, visiting a new place or attempting a challenging puzzle, new experiences and learning opportunities help forge new neural connections and strengthen existing ones.,, Conversely, research has shown that a lack of mental stimulation in older adults can lead to cognitive decline over time.
6. Too Much Social Media
'Social media may seem like harmless entertainment or a convenient way to stay connected, but it can significantly reshape the way your brain functions,' says Maniscalco. 'Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook are designed to trigger and exploit the brain's dopamine system—the same reward circuitry involved in motivation, craving and addiction.' Over time, this can lead to negative consequences for your brain health.
One review of multiple studies found that people who had difficulty controlling their internet use tended to have less gray matter in brain regions related to decision-making, self-control and reward processing. Too much social media can also affect emotional well-being. For instance, research has found that using social media as a primary means of maintaining relationships is linked to feelings of loneliness.
To counterbalance the effects of social media and mindless scrolling, schedule 'tech-free' time during your day. And don't forget to make time for meaningful interactions, like phoning or spending time with loved ones.
Our Expert Take
Many seemingly innocent everyday habits may be quietly taking a toll on your brain health. Over time, lack of sleep, smoking, drinking alcohol, skimping on nutritious foods, missing out on new experiences or spending endless hours scrolling can spell trouble for our brains. The impact isn't just about memory or focus. It touches everything from your mood to long-term cognitive resilience.
But here's the good news: Small changes, like getting enough rest, eating nutritious foods, staying curious, giving up smoking, drinking less alcohol and connecting meaningfully with others, may have a big impact on your brain's strength. Take the first step today to break those brain-draining habits. Your future self will thank you with sharper thinking, a better mood and a mind that's ready to meet life's challenges head-on.
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