Maintaining the health of your brain is crucial to shielding it against diseases that can cause cognitive loss and brain damage. As the control center of your body, the brain regulates your thoughts, emotions, movements, and overall well-being, making its health essential for a high quality of life. Frequent physical activity can help prevent diseases like dementia and stroke by enhancing blood flow to the brain.

A balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids delivers the essential nutrients to support brain function and repair. Mental workouts, such as solving puzzles, reading, and picking up new skills, keep the brain sharp and reinforce neural connections. Since it enables the brain to rest and heal itself, getting enough sleep is also essential. Managing stress with relaxation methods like deep breathing and meditation can help avoid the damaging effects of long-term stress on the brain.

Prioritizing these practices can lower the risk of brain injury, improve cognitive performance, and ensure brain health.(Image Credit: Canva) 

Other crucial steps to safeguard your brain include avoiding harmful substances like excessive alcohol and drug use, wearing helmets during risky activities, and maintaining social connections. By prioritizing these practices, you can lower your risk of brain injury, improve cognitive performance, and ensure your brain remains robust and healthy. In a conversation with Jagran English, Dr. G. V. Subbaiah Chowdhary, a senior consultant, neurologist, and clinical director at Yashoda Hospitals in Hyderabad, discussed the five common conditions that can permanently damage brain functions.

According to Dr. G. V. Subbaiah, the brain remains a big mystery. Many conditions are permanent, although they can be well controlled. Prevention is surely better than cure. It is estimated that nearly 21.5 million to 2 million people suffer from brain damage as a result of injury every year, with nearly 1 million dying because of this fatal condition. The risks of brain damage are heavily influenced by lifestyle choices and daily routines. It is critical to look after the brain and be on the lookout for any persistent symptoms.

The Five Most Common Conditions That Can Permanently Damage Brain Function Include:

Lack Of Sleep

Sleep has a major impact on the proper functioning of the brain. It is important for a number of brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. Good sleep improves brain performance, mood, and health. Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many diseases and disorders, ranging from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia. Sleep deprivation affects the hippocampus, leading to memory problems. It is recommended to get at least 8 hours of sleep daily.

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Head Injury

Head injuries, also known as brain injuries or traumatic brain injuries (TBI), depend on the extent of the head trauma. Seek emergency care for an adult or child who experiences a head injury and any of these symptoms. While you may not be able to avoid all causes of traumatic brain injury, there are steps you can take to protect your head and reduce your risk of TBI:

  1. Reduce your risk of falling. Install stair handrails to help navigate stairs, and create clear and safe paths throughout your home by removing rugs, long electrical cords, or small pieces of furniture that could make you trip and fall.
  2. Play it safe. Wear protective gear if you participate in contact sports or ride bicycles and motorcycles.
  3. Buckle up. Wear your seatbelt and make sure your passengers wear theirs. If you travel with babies and toddlers, ensure they always ride in car seats or boosters.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Lifestyle choices play a major role in determining the proper functioning of the brain. Lack of physical activity is one of the most common causes of damage to brain functioning due to reduced blood flow. Moreover, it may also trigger other health ailments like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. In certain cases, it may also cause dementia, a condition that affects memory, thinking, and social abilities. Therefore, it is recommended to have some form of physical activity as part of your daily routine to keep the brain active.

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Stress And Depression

Due to changes in lifestyle and work culture, most people suffer from stress, anxiety, and depression. Too much stress can disrupt synapse regulation, resulting in social withdrawal and avoidance of interactions with others. During stress, plasma levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine redistribute blood volume to conserve the brain's blood supply. Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system includes threats to the body such as hypoglycemia and hemorrhagic shock. To avoid stress:

  1. Take slow, deep breaths or try other breathing exercises for relaxation.
  2. Take a warm bath.
  3. Listen to soothing music.
  4. Practice mindful meditation. The goal of mindful meditation is to focus your attention on things that are happening right now in the present moment.

Smoking

Studies have shown that nicotine can enhance certain effects on the brain, including accuracy, maintaining attention, fine motor skills, and short-term memory. These short-term enhancements can become addictive, which, along with withdrawal symptoms, can make it extremely difficult to quit smoking. Smokers experience a much more rapid cognitive decline than non-smokers. Middle-aged male smokers are found to be more at risk than female smokers. Cigarette smoking has been associated with dementia and dementia-related brain changes, notably gray matter (GM) volume atrophy.