A neurologist reveals: 5 things I do to keep my brain healthy
Neuroscience expert Cody Isbell recommends five things you should do to sharpen your brain - and at least one of them will surprise you
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04/09/2022
Sunday, 04 September 2022, 00:18 Updated: 00:35
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5 things I will never do to my brain (.tiktok.com/@mindbrainbodylab)
Neurologist Cody Isbell, who often shares tips on his TikTok channel @mindbrainbodylab, shared a video that has garnered nearly 2 million views in which he claims there are five things he would never do as a neurologist.
Cody, who completed his neuroscience degree in 2018, said in the video that there are five essential daily activities that keep the human brain healthy — the first and perhaps most important of which is sleep.
Cody claims that maintaining regular sleep hours is the most important thing for those who want to preserve their brain functions.
"I don't care if it makes me a grandfather," he stated, "fewer hours of sleep equal fewer hours of life."
The expert did not reveal how many hours of sleep are recommended for us per night, but recent studies have revealed that too many hours of sleep can actually harm cognitive function - just like insufficient sleep.
A study from Washington State found that people who slept less than 4.5 hours a night and those who slept more than 6.5 hours each night were at higher risk of cognitive decline over time.
"Less sleep = less life" (Photo: ShutterStock, Sergey Mironov)
Cody's second piece of advice is to practice meditation.
He said: "This is the easiest way to protect the brain" and added that "meditation calms the mind and reduces anxiety and depression."
He recommended at least 10 minutes of meditation daily to see a cognitive benefit.
In addition, the neurologist said that giving up alcohol is key to normal cognitive function.
"Alcohol fires up your brain directly and depresses it," he explained.
His determination reinforces a 30-year study that examined the brains of 550 middle-aged Britons - and found that those who drank more alcohol were at a higher risk of degeneration of a brain structure called the hippocampus, which is known to play an important role in memory functions - causing brain damage that affects memory and spatial navigation.
His fourth tip concerns sports.
Daily exercise is essential for long-term cognitive health, he said, adding that "exercise reduces brain inflammation (brain fog) and increases neuroplasticity, which is the ability to learn."
While Cody's first four activities—sleep, meditation, exercise, and limiting alcohol—might have been expected, his fifth recommendation is surprising.
The neurologist encourages people to be more decisive and not to let indecision hold you back.
He said: "Our brain is designed to decide things and do things - and we learn through failure."
He argued that the process of "act, assess, adjust" helps improve overall brain health.
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Here are all his tips:
@mindbrainbodylab Prioritize these areas of your life instead of ignoring them for 30 days and you'll change your mental health, physical health and life I promise.
Follow to catch all the things I would do to heal your brain as a neuroscientist.
#neuroscience #neurosciencetok #fyp #healthy ♬ original sound - Cody Isabel
Thousands of viewers reacted to the video, with some cheering and others less so.
"I started meditating during the epidemic and it changed my life," wrote one in the comments and another added: "going to adopt all your tips."
Another user showed less enthusiasm: "Let's see you stick to this list of yours when you have kids."
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Neurology