12 Habits to Prevent Brain Decay
In 2024, “brain rot” was named Oxford’s word of the year, reflecting concerns about the effects of modern digital culture on cognitive health. The term refers to “the decay of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially as a result of excessive consumption of junk materials.”
Excessive use of the internet and social media can lead to a decline in memory, attention, concentration, critical thinking, and interpersonal relationships. This can lead to social isolation and reduced physical activity, factors that contribute to cognitive decline and an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and conditions like dementia.
Adopting healthy habits can help you keep your mind sharp and prevent brain rot.
Ways to Prevent Brain Rot
1. Limit Your Time on Social Media
Social media platforms are designed to grab and hold your attention. While surfing social media can be fun, scrolling for long periods of time often comes at the expense of your focus, productivity, and mental health. Research shows that excessive social media use can increase anxiety and depression and reduce your performance at school and work.
Limiting your time on social media can help protect your cognitive health and increase your productivity and mental health. Here are some tips for limiting your social media use:
• Schedule screen time: Set a daily limit, 30 to 60 minutes is a good starting point, and schedule offline activities like exercise or reading. Set specific times for social media use and stick to the time limit.
• Productivity apps: Apps like Freedom, FocusMe, or StayFocusd can help you limit or block access to social media at certain times.
• Turn off notifications: Turn off notifications from social media apps to reduce distractions.
• Collaborate with others: Collaborate with someone who has a similar goal of reducing their social media use. They can motivate you, help you stay on track, and hold you accountable.
2. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness means being fully present and aware of your thoughts and feelings in the moment without judgment. Regular mindfulness practice can help you retrain your brain to focus and break the habit of aimlessly scrolling through social media or irrelevant content.
Retraining your brain to focus on the present moment can reduce stress and improve cognitive functions like memory and attention. Research shows that mindfulness increases gray matter density in the areas of the brain responsible for learning, memory, and emotion regulation. Over time, mindfulness improves cognitive clarity, increases your ability to process challenging or complex information, and helps reduce your risk of brain decay.
You can start with 10 to 15 minutes of daily practice, such as:
• Deep breathing: Focus on your breath, inhaling through your nose for four seconds, holding for a moment, and exhaling through your mouth for four seconds.
• Walking: Take a mindful walk and focus on the sights, sounds, and sensations around you.
• Mindful eating: Eat your food carefully, taking time to chew slowly and pay attention to the tastes, smells, and textures.
• Body scan: Slowly guide your focus to each part of your body and notice any sensations or areas of tension. This helps you become more aware of how your body feels at any given moment and promotes relaxation.
3. Regular Exercise
Regular physical activity isn’t just good for your body, it’s also one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy. Exercise increases blood flow to your brain, providing essential oxygen and nutrients, while also boosting your brain’s ability to adapt and grow, known as plasticity.
Exercise can help keep your mind sharp and reduce your risk of cognitive decline. It also helps reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can build up from too much digital media consumption and lead to mental fatigue.
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week. Moderate exercise can include brisk walking, swimming, cycling, or resistance training (like weight lifting). Incorporating movement into your daily routine (like taking short breaks to stretch or walk during your workday) can increase focus and boost your mood and cognitive health.
4. Read a Book
Unlike short digital content, reading a book requires sustained focus and engages your brain in more complex cognitive activities. Reading is one of the most effective ways to support brain health. Reading improves focus, comprehension, and the ability to understand complex ideas. It also strengthens the parts of the brain associated with language and imagination, making it a powerful tool against brain decay.
Research shows that people who read for 30 minutes a day are less likely to experience cognitive decline. You can balance between fiction, which stimulates creativity and empathy, and nonfiction, which expands your knowledge. Immersing yourself in a book not only enriches your brain health, but it also provides a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of digital distractions.
5. Limit Multitasking
While it may seem efficient to switch between work emails, social media, and to-do lists, multitasking can be more harmful than helpful.
When you multitask, your brain quickly switches between different tasks, rather than completing them simultaneously. This puts a strain on working memory and reduces your ability to focus. Research shows that prolonged multitasking reduces working memory and executive function, negatively impacting academic, career, and quality of life performance.
Instead of multitasking, focus on one task at a time. Set aside specific times to check emails, work on projects, or engage in creative thinking without interruption. Techniques like the Pomodoro Method (working in 25-minute bursts with short breaks) can help maintain focus and reduce stress levels.
6. Strengthen in-person social connections
Human connection and meaningful social interactions are essential for mental and emotional health. Face-to-face connections create deeper bonds, foster empathy, and provide opportunities for meaningful conversations and emotional support. Strong social relationships can improve memory and prevent age-related cognitive decline.
While online connections can be valuable and help you connect with people who are going through similar experiences, connecting with friends and family in person is even more important. Try to strengthen offline relationships by scheduling regular meet-ups with friends, family, or social groups. This helps build emotional connections and counteracts the often isolating nature of social media browsing.
7. Digital Detox
A digital detox (stepping away from electronics for a set period of time) provides a break from the temptation to browse online content aimlessly, allowing the brain to reset and recharge. Research shows that digital detox improves focus, mood, and sleep quality.
At first, stepping away from digital devices may seem challenging, but you might be surprised at how manageable and even enjoyable it can be. Research shows that many people approach digital detox with skepticism, but they often experience positive results, such as reduced screen addiction and improved overall mental health.
8. Learn a New Skill
Learning a new skill is one of the best ways to keep your brain active and engaged. Whether it’s playing a musical instrument, learning a new language, or taking a cooking class, acquiring new knowledge stimulates different parts of the brain. This can help improve memory, problem-solving, and protect against cognitive decline.
Research shows that adults who learn complex skills like embroidery or digital photography experience better memory and cognitive function. Learning a new skill forces the brain to adapt and grow, and it boosts neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to reorganize and make new connections). Plus, the sense of accomplishment from mastering a new skill can boost your self-confidence and overall well-being.
9. Spend Time in Nature
Spending time outdoors is one of the easiest ways to reduce the effects of digital overstimulation, prevent brain decay, and improve cognitive function. Research shows that exposure to nature reduces stress levels, improves mood, and boosts focus, providing a much-needed opportunity to reset the brain.
Even spending 30 minutes in a natural environment can increase brain activity and improve mood and cognitive function. You can spend more time outdoors by taking a walk around your neighborhood, tending to your garden, or planning a hike in a park, forest, or beach. If you have limited time or access to green spaces, adding plants to your home or office can provide similar cognitive benefits.
10. Engage in creative hobbies
Creative hobbies like crafts, painting, knitting, writing, or playing an instrument can keep your brain active and improve problem-solving skills. These hands-on activities are a healthy alternative to passively consuming digital content. Creativity can also help reduce mental fatigue caused by too much screen time and consuming low-quality content.
Research shows that engaging in creative hobbies boosts divergent thinking (the ability to generate new ideas) and memory. Even if you’re not an artist, allowing your mind to explore and express new ideas in creative ways can protect your cognitive health and prevent brain decay.
11. Get enough sleep
Sleep is essential for brain health. When you sleep, your body repairs itself, consolidates memories, and flushes toxins from the brain. Many people sacrifice sleep to scroll through social media or binge-watch their favorite shows. Over time, this habit can damage cognitive function, impair concentration and memory, and increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Experts recommend that adults get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. Creating and sticking to a regular sleep schedule can improve the quality and duration of your sleep and protect your mental and cognitive health. Some ways to create a healthy sleep routine include:
• Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on vacation
• Avoiding electronic devices like phones, tablets, and television for at least 30 minutes before bed
• Doing calming activities before bed, such as meditation, reading, or breathing exercises
• Keeping your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet
12. Eat a balanced diet
Eating a nutritious, balanced diet can nourish your body and brain. Eating high-sugar or processed foods that have little nutritional value can decrease cognitive function. Instead, eat whole foods rich in antioxidants, iron, essential vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, nuts, leafy greens, and berries, to help prevent cognitive decline.
Research shows that people who regularly eat processed or sugary foods are at a higher risk for cognitive decline in older age. By feeding your body and brain with nutritious foods, you support your current brain health and long-term cognitive function.
Signs You May Have “Brain Decay”
Although brain decay is not a medical condition, it is a term used to describe the effects of excessive internet use and consumption of junk content on cognitive health. Recognizing the symptoms of brain decay can help you understand the impact it is having on your mental health and provide motivation to change your daily habits. Common symptoms of brain decay include:
• Difficulty concentrating
• Social isolation: spending more time in front of a screen than interacting in person
• Mental fog
• Difficulty staying present when you’re offline
• Feeling overwhelmed by everyday stress
• Sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Low mood
Frequently Asked Questions About Brain Decay
1. Is Brain Decay a Medical Condition?
No, brain decay is an informal term and is not recognized as a medical condition, but its effects on cognitive and mental health are real.
2. Does social media use always lead to brain decay?
No, moderate and purposeful use of social media can be beneficial. The problem arises when the constant consumption of worthless content replaces more useful activities and real social interactions.
3. How does brain decay affect mental health?
The condition can lead to increased anxiety, depression, feelings of isolation, decreased self-esteem, and sleep disturbances.
4. Can brain decay lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s?
Excessive consumption of low-quality content can increase the risk of cognitive decline, but it does not cause dementia or Alzheimer’s on its own. However, unhealthy habits can affect brain health in the long term.
5. How can brain decay be treated?
By changing your lifestyle, reducing your consumption of worthless digital content, increasing your intake of useful mental activities, exercising regularly, engaging in in-person social interactions, and paying attention to your mental health, you can reduce the effects of brain decay.
6. Are children and adolescents also at risk of brain decay?
Yes, children and adolescents who spend a lot of time consuming low-quality content on the Internet may be at risk of decreased concentration, learning difficulties, and behavioral disorders.
7. When should you see a doctor for problems caused by brain decay?
If symptoms such as severe problems with concentration, memory, anxiety, or depression persist and affect your daily life, it’s a good idea to see a mental health professional or doctor.
Quick Overview
“Brain rot,” chosen as the 2024 word of the year, refers to growing concern about the cognitive effects of consuming low-value, superficial content. Excessive internet use can impair focus and memory, harm your mental and emotional health, and increase your risk of cognitive decline and age-related neurodegenerative disorders, such as dementia. Taking up a new hobby, spending time outdoors, fostering in-person social connections, eating a balanced diet, and reading books can help protect your brain health and support your long-term cognitive function.
