8 things that make us dumber
In today's knowledge economy, the ability to think clearly and rationally is vital. You must be able to analyze data and make quick decisions, be able to identify flawed arguments and solve problems effectively.
However, there are decisions that many of us make unconsciously and constantly that make us dumber. Getting rid of them, the efficiency of our thinking will increase significantly. After reviewing the following list, first of all, pay attention to those items that have become a habit for you. And fight with them.
1. Thinking you're smart can make you dumber
Research by Stanford University psychology professor Carol Dweck shows that praising people for their intelligence rather than their efforts should be used sparingly, as it can backfire over time.
There are two types of thinking:
- still mind
- growth mindset
A fixed mindset believes that abilities are conditioned from birth. If a person with this mindset fails, he takes it as an insult to his intellectual potential. Therefore, he avoids situations in which he can lose, because, in his opinion, he has a development ceiling.
People with a growth mindset believe that trying makes them smarter. If they fail at something, they do not get upset, but believe that next time they will cope by analyzing the mistakes.
In other words, you need to consider yourself not smart, but diligent: with this approach, you will actually become smarter.
2. Relying too much on your gadgets
While technology has improved our lives in many ways, it can make us stupid.
Two examples of how technology makes you stupid are using calculators for math and using search engines to extract information instead of memorizing.
We stopped thinking about the solution of the problem, if it can be found on the Internet. We stopped remembering dates and events on our own, because we immediately start looking for all this in Google.
In addition, psychologist Betsy Sparrow from Columbia University explains that when people are confident in the ease of access to information, that is, they know that all they have to do is “google” – they have lower ratings, they are less likely to remember information.
3. Not getting enough vitamins
One example is not getting enough vitamin B12. People get it from meat, eggs, poultry, dairy products, and other animal products.
If you don't get enough of these foods, or if your body can't absorb vitamin B12 properly, you'll have difficulty thinking, reasoning, and memory.
4. Eat junk food
What happens if you eat a lot of junk food? You are gaining weight. How does gaining weight make you stupid? For every extra kilo you gain, you will have to pay with the fact that your brain will become smaller. In addition, the body digests harmful writing much longer, which means that all its resources will be concentrated on this, and not, say, on assimilation of information from a read book.
5. Check email while you work
Multitasking makes you stupid. But do you know how stupid? There are studies that say it lowers your IQ by 10 points, which is a lot.
The conclusion is simple – do one thing at a time. Don't let irritants make you dumber.
6. Watch TV and surf the web
Reading a book teaches you to focus. Exercise and mental discipline, which are acquired by long reading, are essential to richness of thought. When we do not have such mental control, our higher order cognitive processes are weakened.
TV and mindless web surfing make you dumber. If you think that there is nothing wrong with watching a funny video, then you are right. Only here the matter is often not limited to one video. As a result, clip thinking develops – we cannot concentrate for more than seven seconds, we get bored.
7. Waking up late
Lack or poor quality sleep affects learning. When we learn, we need sleep so that the brain can encode information during this.
If you sleep too little or go to bed too late, this affects the quality of remembering information. So never sacrifice sleep.
8. Ignore stress
When you are stressed, the kidneys release the hormone cortisol, and cortisol negatively affects brain function. In particular, it can prevent the formation of memories and can even kill neurons.
The hippocampal region of the brain, where long-term memories are stored, is most affected by the effects of cortisol. In fact, the hippocampus is known to shrink during prolonged periods of acute stress.
Therefore, you need to be able to deal with stress. Go in for sports, yoga, learn to meditate.
We wish you good luck!
Source: 4brain.ru
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