Do You Want to Live Longer? Calm Down!

Most research in this field justifies the advantage of maintaining a person's constant physical and mental activity as he or she gets older. In other words, experts say that brain activity directly affects life expectancy.

However, the results of a recent study at the Blavatik Institute at Harvard Medical School suggest that the key to longevity may depend on the level and type of brain activity.

So, the authors of the study found that excessive neuronal activity leads to a shorter life expectancy. Multitasking and the continuous absorption of information from various media sources, with no planned time for rest or breaks, can lead to excessive brain drain.

And an overloaded brain accelerates age-related changes in-memory storage and thinking. Conversely, scientists have revealed a direct link between longevity and a more measured brain function: if a person does not exceed the capacity of the brain, then he will live longer.

Easy to say, but hard to do. In the digital age, excessive brain activity has already become the norm. People of all ages are now switching from one task to another, constantly looking for the next incentive, whether it's a TV show or smartphone notifications.

According to the Pew Research Center, multiple streams of information plunge us into a permanent state of multitasking, preventing the brain from concentrating, completing a task, or taking a break. And the most unexpected thing here is that normal aging requires the limitation of neural activity.

At Harvard, scientists studied hundreds of brains of adults donated by them after death for the benefit of science. These people died between the ages of 60 and 100 and were "cognitively healthy."

Comparing the genetic material of the participants in the experiment of different ages, the scientists came to an amazing and at the same time shocking discovery: people who died in the age range of 85–100 years had a lower gene expression associated with neural hyperactivity than those who died decades earlier (in 60–80 years).

The author of the study, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and co-founder of the Paul F. Glenna Center for the Biology of Aging, Bruce Yankner, said: "Our study suggests that aging is accompanied by abnormal and destructive neural activity that not only that it reduces the efficiency of the brain, but it is also harmful to human and animal health, reducing their total life expectancy. Our results indicate the ability to influence longevity by modulating brain activity. "

Michael McConnell, a neurologist at the Liberian Institute of Brain Development, notes, "The most unexpected thing is that normal aging requires limiting neural activity in the brain." A deliberate decrease in mental stimulation may seem counterintuitive, but it is the best way to maintain brain health.

Strive for balance: keep your brain active, but don't forget to set aside time for rest and breaks.

The line between normal and excessive brain activity remains unclear. Yankner says, "It's hard to draw a line because using your brain for new functions like learning a new language, learning a new musical instrument, or completing new tasks has a positive effect on learning and memorization." These activities differ from the destructive processes, which manifest themselves in the form of muscle cramps, mood swings, cramps, Alzheimer's disease, bipolar disorder, and other neurological disorders.

But there is good news: a decrease in brain activity can be prevented. You can solve the problems of an over-excited brain by simply changing your behavior, recognizing the onset of such moments of hyperactivity, and changing your habits in such a way as to help you relax.

Harvard Editor Patrick J. Scherrett writes: "If work wears you out, makes it difficult for you to sleep, and makes you give up entertainment, then focusing on your mental, physical, and emotional health can help you keep your mind clear as you age. "

What can be done if all this sounds very familiar? Start appreciating calm moments. Plan your time for yourself. Take a book, draw, write letters, or write notes in a journal. Or, better yet, keep quiet, "watching" the thoughts that creep through your mind while you are engaged in breathing exercises.

To achieve peace of mind and physical peace, practice is needed, so free time should be your priority. Put it in your routine. If you force yourself to do something every day that will help you relax or increase your presence in your own body and not just in your brain, then you will ensure a longer and healthier life.