I’m a neuroscientist — avoid these 3 habits to ‘keep your brain young’

The robust human brain is what sets us apart from all of life on Earth — so you’d be wise to protect it.

A neuroscientist has revealed the habits to avoid to keep your brain operating at its best for as long as possible. Self-styled “mindset” coach Emily McDonald, who holds advanced degrees in neuroscience, shared her tips in a recent video posted to TikTok, now with nearly 4 million views.

The 24-year-old consultant from Phoenix, Arizona, outlined three tips she lives by “in order to protect my brain,” she posed to her 186,000 followers — who may find it difficult to abide by her first guideline: stop doom-scrolling in the morning.

Upon waking, the brain undergoes a transition from “theta to alpha” brainwaves. Essentially, warned McDonald, “this means that our subconscious mind is in a more programmable state.”

According to McDonald, our brains are “really suggestible” at that time and have a greater impact on our mood throughout the day. “And it messes up our dopamine” — the brain’s reward-seeking hormone — “for the rest of the day, so that we continue to check our phone.”

“It creates a craving to keep you wanting to pick up your phone,” she further explained in a statement to South West News Service.

“Lots of people are reading stressful things — prompting you to be stressed. What you put into your mind is super crucial.”

Instead, McDonald recommends waking up and listening to or saying positive affirmations.

“I put sleep mode on,” she said. “Try to not look at your phone for at least 20 to 30 minutes after waking up.”

The same rule applies to going to bed, McDonald added, recommending we switch off our TVs, laptops and phones within an hour before bed.

McDonald’s next maxim: You also are what you eat. The self-proclaimed “mental health enthusiast” reminds that processed foods have been linked to cognitive aging, resulting in brain fog and forgetfulness.

“The gut-brain connection is very real,” she told SWNS, and suggested a diet that is high in “good” fats, i.e. monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, whole grains and fresh produce — and avoiding processed foods.

Lastly, a little self-pep-talk is good for the soul — as well as the mind. “What you tell yourself changes how you view the world,” McDonald explained. “If you say ‘today is going to be a great day’ it tells your brain to look for things that are great.”

When McDonald catches herself in a negative head space, she forces herself to say three positive things about herself.

“The more we think something [the more] our brains are wired to change,” she added.

Meditation is one proven means to achieve a positive mindset, which McDonald recommends doing every day in the morning before work. “It increases the birth of new brain cells in the hippocampus – which controls our learning and memory,” she said.

In other words: “It keeps your brain young.”