Is Stress Harming Your Memory?
HOW TO COPE WITH DAILY TRIGGERS
Stress can cause more than just a bad mood and low energy. Over time, mental exhaustion from stress can lead to forgetfulness and reduced cognition. This can hamper your ability to do your job and enjoy life. Though stress is unavoidable, there are steps you can take to mitigate some of the negative effects of mental exhaustion, including forgetfulness. First, consider the source of your stress. These days, a common stressor is social media. If your feeds are full of bad news and negativity, shut them down. Many researchers suggest that spending less time on the internet leads to better health. Several studies have found that constant internet use, including time spent on social media, is negatively impacting our memories. Research from Harvard, Oxford, King’s College London, and Western Sydney University all confirm this: Too much internet use is a bad thing.
Coping with a stressful coworker, for example, can be difficult. You have to figure out why they’re causing you stress and how the situation can be remedied. Dealing with a work-related confrontation can be hard, but having that difficult conversation and resolving the problem can ultimately lead to less long-term stress and improve your mental health. Another thing you can do to reduce stress is avoid multitasking. Taking on multiple projects or doing too much in too little time can leave you feeling overworked. Plus, studies have found that multitasking is not effective. You cannot deliver the same results when your attention is scattered as you can when you are focused on one thing. To make matters worse, multitasking takes a major toll on memory and cognition, according to a study from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. If stress is impairing your memory, judgment, or cognition, take the above steps to reduce it. If you find your memory and cognition aren’t improving, consider speaking with a mental health professional to discuss your best next steps. Mental health and stress management are important, and the more we do to improve these areas of our lives, the healthier and happier we will be.
Of course, it can be easier to delete a social media app than it is to eliminate other types of stressors.
A Dental Myth Busted Are Oral Problems Hereditary?
MYTH: Both of my parents lost their teeth, so my dental problems must be hereditary or genetic.
but fast food was becoming more popular, and smoking cigarettes was considered cool. All of these things can lead to major dental issues.
FACT: A lot has changed in the world of dentistry. General knowledge about what contributes to tooth decay and how to prevent it has increased in recent decades, and patients have a lot more control over their oral health than they may realize. Good dental care habits can go a long way toward keeping your teeth healthy. Today, many patients in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who come in for dental work blame their issues on genetics because their parents had lost teeth and gotten dentures or dental implants. But if we go back in time to when Mom and Dad were growing up, we will find the real culprit for these dental issues. About 50 years ago, sugar was becoming more common in the American diet. Not only that,
Back then, dental hygiene was not a high priority, and dentists didn’t have the tools and techniques they have today, so dental problems resulting from consuming too much sugar or fast food or smoking weren’t being properly addressed. Many people lost their natural teeth by the time they were 40 because of bad dental habits, not because of genetics. It’s true that genetics play a role in the development of your teeth, but it’s very rare that a patient will lose teeth due to a hereditary issue. Your lifestyle and dental care habits — along with taking responsibility — are the main determining factors of good dental health. Today, we have a much better understanding of how bad sugar is for our teeth. When we change our mindset and realize how much control we have over our dental health, we can make better choices. That includes eating healthier snacks and remembering to brush and floss twice a day or after every meal. We are 100% in control.
2 — SignatureSmilesOH.com
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