The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Moment 180: Neuroscientist's Top 5 WORST Habits That Are Destroying Your Brain: Wendy Suzuki

Sep 20, 2024

Wendy Suzuki, a leading neuroscientist and professor, reveals the top brain-destroying habits we all engage in. She emphasizes how essential sleep, physical activity, and healthy eating are for brain health. Surprisingly, she warns that the rise of social media can hinder real social connections and increase anxiety and depression in the younger generation. Suzuki likens social media’s addictive nature to gambling, cautioning against its impact on mental well-being and suggesting a digital detox to rejuvenate our brains and foster true connections.

10:24

Episode guests

Wendy Suzuki

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Quick takeaways

Poor lifestyle choices like inadequate sleep, processed diets, and alcohol consumption significantly harm cognitive functions and brain health.

Excessive social media use leads to increased depression and anxiety among young individuals, negatively impacting their mental well-being and social connections.

Deep dives

Impact of Alcohol and Processed Diets on Brain Health

Long-term alcohol consumption is detrimental to brain health, as it disrupts sleep patterns, leading to shallow sleep that fails to rejuvenate the brain adequately. While some may use alcohol to fall asleep faster, evidence suggests that it ultimately harms the quality of sleep, which is crucial for cognitive functions. Additionally, consuming a diet rich in processed foods can further exacerbate these negative effects, as these foods lack the nutrients necessary for optimal brain function. Collectively, these lifestyle choices contribute to a decline in brain health and cognitive abilities over time.

Mindfulness and Moderation Matter

01:31

Embrace Solitude for Creative Clarity

01:06

Intro

2min

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health and Brain Functioning

2min

The Addictive Nature of Social Media and Its Impact on Brain Health

2min

Confronting Phone Addiction: A Call for Digital Detox

4min

In this moment, professor and neuroscientist, Wendy Suzuki outlines how to destroy your brain.

Many of the ways to wreck your brain health are obvious, such as poor sleep, smoking, eating a processed diet and no exercise. However, some brain damaging habit are more subtle, including not learning and using social media.

Wendy says that the increased use of social media is a massive concern for how it will impact the younger generation. This is because their brains aren’t getting the benefits of real social connection and can suffer from increases in depression and anxiety, leading to the release of stress hormones which damage the brains cells and connections.

Listen to the full episode here -

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Wendy: https://www.wendysuzuki.com/wendy

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