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The quest for the fountain of youth has fascinated human beings throughout history, but we now know that this magical mecca doesn’t need to be sought anywhere “out there.” It’s actually with you at all times, sitting right there in your skull—your brain! But, if you’re like many people, your brain may be older than you are. This reality, of course, can be viewed as either positive or negative. On the plus side, we can greatly influence our brain’s aging through our everyday habits. But that also means we must operate with caution every day, taking personal responsibility and consistently making better choices to keep us healthier and happier as we age. In essence, you have the power to speed up the aging process—making your brain look and feel older—or you can help slow it down, creating a brain that stays younger than expected for your chronological age. You have the power to speed up the aging process—making your brain look and feel older—or you can help slow it down, creating a brain that stays younger than expected for your chronological age.
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WHAT ARE THE TOP 4 BRAIN AGERS?

Just as muscles in the human body can atrophy as a result of the aging process, brain activity also decreases across its entire surface as we get older. In fact, on average, the adult brain loses about 85,000 neurons every day. But, though many of us expect impeded brain function as a normal side effect of aging, we can actually strengthen our brains, just as we would tone up our other muscles. Incorporating a few smart strategies every day will help stave off the brain aging process. Here are the top 4 areas in which we can change our behaviors to produce a more youthful effect.

1. Toxin Exposure

Intake of harmful toxins is one of the biggest culprits that accelerates brain aging—but it’s also fairly straightforward to simply say no to many of these health destroyers. For example, everyone knows that smoking is a killer habit to be avoided at all costs, but keep in mind that other drugs, both legal and illegal, can cause similar harm. One large-scale study of brain SPECT scans, led by Amen Clinics founder Dr. Daniel Amen, evaluated more than 30,000 individuals from 9 months to 105 years old and found that cannabis abuse can add 2.8 years’ worth of accelerated aging, while alcohol abuse contributed 0.6 years of accelerated aging. Prescription drugs, such as benzodiazepines and painkillers, as well as too-high levels of caffeine (more than 300 milligrams per day, or more than 3 normal-size cups of coffee), can also age the brain. Any of these substances are also addictive, so their impact can easily snowball over time. Additionally, we are all vulnerable to being exposed to environmental toxins, such as pesticides, organic solvents, phthalates, and mold. Even those who have undergone chemotherapy should be extra careful to incorporate other brain-healthy habits to fight back against any potential damage. Cancer patients have demonstrated signs of “chemo brain,” since these treatments can impact healthy cells as they kill cancerous cells.

2. Free Radicals, Inflammation, and DNA Damage

Chronic inflammation, which is promoted by the formation of free radicals, is thought to be a root cause of a wide variety of diseases that develop with age, including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. In a nutshell, free radicals attack our cells like rust erodes a car, damaging our DNA and accelerating the aging process. Free radicals can be avoided by banishing toxic habits like cigarettes, vaping, and sun overexposure. Within your diet, avoid charred meats, which develop compounds in the cooking process that may damage DNA, as well as trans fats and pesticides. (To reduce the latter, choose organic varieties when buying any of the “dirty dozen” in the produce aisle: peaches, apples, blueberries, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, imported grapes, spinach, kale, and potatoes.) Inflammation can also be related to low levels of vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids, high levels of omega-6, diabetes, stress, and diets with too much meat and/or sugar. How do these influences impact DNA? One way is through telomeres, which act like caps at the end of each DNA strand to keep it from unraveling. Inflammation, exposure to free radicals, vitamin deficiencies, and a lack of omega-3s can erode these protective telomeres, which shortens cells’ life span—and, ultimately, can shorten a person’s life span. Researchers have found that, among those older than 60, shorter telomeres indicated a three times greater likelihood of death from heart disease and an eight times greater likelihood of death from infectious disease.

3. Lifestyle Choices

Obviously, there are myriad ways in which our lifestyles and habits can prematurely age our brains, but let’s look more closely at two major cornerstones of health: diet and exercise. Those who have adopted the Standard American Diet (SAD)—high in processed foods that feature loads of fats (including trans fats) and added sugars—are also doing a load of damage to the body. When a large quantity of sugar mixes with proteins and fats, the process forms molecules called Advanced Glycation End products, or AGEs, which promote aging. Women should aim to consume no more than 100 calories per day of added sugars; for men, no more than 150 calories per day. Choose high-fiber, low-glycemic foods instead. A SAD diet also leads to being overweight or obese, which directly impacts the brain—because as your weight increases, brain size decreases. Help keep your weight at a healthy level through regular exercise that focuses on building both endurance and strength. Do make exercise a priority, aiming for 30 minutes of activity every day, but don’t overdo it—that could backfire by creating, not reducing, inflammation. Finally, choosing the right supplements can also help keep the physical body in tip-top shape and protect against vitamin deficiencies.

4. Physical and Mental Health Conditions

There is a range of health concerns that contribute to brain aging. For example, in recent years, we’ve found that COVID-19 has been associated with damage to the brain, joining the list of more established culprits, from gum and heart disease to diabetes and hypertension. Of course, brain injuries, and/or a lack of brain rehabilitation when needed, can also create lasting impacts. But even seemingly lower-intensity health problems influence brain aging, such as digestive issues, high or low testosterone or thyroid hormone levels, allergies, elevated levels of iron in the body, and chronic insomnia or sleep apnea. Furthermore, we cannot overlook the impact of mental health issues. In the SPECT study of more than 30,000 individuals referenced above, findings noted a link between accelerated aging and various brain disorders and behaviors. The top offender was schizophrenia, which was associated with an average of 4 years of premature aging, followed by bipolar disorder (1.6 years) and ADD/ADHD (1.4 years). Surprisingly, major depressive disorder was not linked to accelerated aging, however, this may be due to the fact that SPECT shows there are 7 different types of depression, each associated with a unique brain pattern. In the “behaviors” category, brain-aging influences include negative thinking patterns, elevated anxiety levels, and impulsive or thrill-seeking behaviors.

PREVENTING BRAIN AGING

The brain imaging work at Amen Clinics has shown that some older men and women have brains that look much younger than their chronological ages would predict. That’s because they have implemented brain-boosting strategies on a daily basis, enabling them to live vibrant lives well into their advanced years. We all want to slow down the aging process and feel more youthful over the long haul, and it comes down to embracing 3 simple tactics: loving your brain, avoiding the damaging elements outlined above, and picking up those healthy habits that will help maintain your brain’s health. The power is in your hands—and between your ears! Memory problems, depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.   Content updated from previous publish date. Do you know how to find happiness? If you believe what society has been telling you, then you might think you know where to look to get the joy you seek. But you could be wrong. For financial gain, marketers have been brainwashing populations for decades into believing happiness is based on things that actually damage our brains, ruin our minds, increase depression, and make us unhappy. They are spreading lies of happiness. For financial gain, marketers have been brainwashing populations for decades into believing happiness is based on things that actually damage our brains, ruin our minds, increase depression, and make us unhappy.
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5 LIES OF HAPPINESS

Happiness Lie #1: Having more and more of something (love, sex, fame, drugs, etc.) will make you happy.

Unfortunately, if you are not careful, the more pleasure you get, the more you will need in the future to continue making you happy, something called hedonic adaptation. Your brain will adapt to high-pleasure experiences, so you’ll need more each time to get the same effect, much like cocaine. Seeking more and more of a pleasure high often leads to depression because it wears out the pleasure centers in your brain. This process involves the neurochemical dopamine, which is known as the molecule of more because it causes you to want more pleasurable things. This phenomenon can occur in Olympic and professional athletes, entrepreneurs, movie stars, and recording artists who never learned to manage their minds. True happiness often lies in appreciating the little things in life. Make it a point to notice the things that make you smile throughout your day.

Happiness Lie #2: A “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” mindset, promoted by the popular 1988 Grammy Song of the Year of the same name by Bobby McFerrin, will make you happy.

In fact, this mindset will make you unhappy and kill you early. According to one of the longest longevity studies ever published, the “don’t worry, be happy people” die early from accidents and preventable illnesses. You need some anxiety to be happy. Appropriate anxiety helps us make better decisions. It prevents us from running into the street as children, risking broken bodies, and running headlong into toxic relationships as adults, risking broken hearts.

Happiness Lie #3: Advertisers and fast-food restaurants know what will make you happy.

Take McDonald’s Happy Meals (and kids’ meals on most restaurant menus), for example. They certainly will not make children happy. These meals should be called Unhappy Meals as the low-quality, nutrient-sparse, processed food-like substances increase inflammation and have been linked with depression, ADD/ADHD, obesity, cancer, and a lower IQ. That is not a recipe for happiness. Consuming foods that nourish your brain, body, and moods is a better way to ship up happiness.

Happiness Lie #4: Someplace else will make you happy.

The notion that happiness lies elsewhere is wrong. A prime example is Disneyland, which claims to be “the happiest place on earth.” If you’ve ever been to Disneyland or Disney World, you know it can be a mixed bag. It can be fun, or it can be stressful and exhausting because of the large crowds, long lines, crying children, and expensive trinkets. Let’s hope it’s not the happiest place on earth, as stress can shrink the major mood and memory centers in the brain. The truth is, you need to learn to cultivate happiness within yourself and take it with you wherever you go.

Happiness Lie #5: You need a smartphone, watch, tablet, or the latest technology to make you happy.

Technology can be addicting; gadgets and apps grab our attention and distract us from more important things such as family, friends, fitness, or faith. Many people eat at the same table but engage with their phones, rather than with each other. Current research has found that many teens spend more hours on social media (average of 9 hours) than they do sleeping. Children 8 to 12 are online 6 hours a day. Technology has hijacked developing brains with potentially serious consequences for many. For example, being glued to social media is having a deleterious effect on self-esteem. A better route to finding happiness may lie in doing a brain detox that includes a temporary technology detox.

MORE LIES OF HAPPINESS

There are many more societal lies about happiness that can drag you down and leave you feeling empty, hopeless, helpless, or full of negativity. Some of these lies include the belief that happiness comes from alcohol, marijuana, video games, constantly being “in the know,” sugary sweets, or money.  All of these quick fixes may make you feel good in the moment, but they are associated with long-term consequences. Do not let yourself be roped into thinking you must desire what society and marketers are selling to you. Stay true to yourself and find what makes you uniquely happy. If depressive symptoms refuse to dissipate despite your best efforts to find joy, seek professional help. You deserve to be happy. Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here. Sleep, glorious sleep! Why is this natural bodily function so elusive—especially if you struggle with depression? Most of us know that getting 7-9 hours of restorative sleep each night is essential for healthy brain and body function, but it may be a surprise to learn that sleep—or the lack thereof—is tightly linked to mental health as well.

THE MOOD-SLEEP CONNECTION

Research has found that sleep and depression are deeply intertwined. Experts believe that there’s likely overlap between the neural mechanisms that control sleep and the neural mechanisms that regulate mood. Those who struggle with sleep are at greater risk for depression (or a depressive relapse), and those who are depressed are very likely to have problems with sleep. When you consider that an estimated 50-70 million people in the U.S. suffer from disordered sleep and roughly 17.3 million U.S. adults are affected by depression, the impact of the bi-directional relationship between sleep and depression is worth understanding. Here’s what you need to know if you—or someone you love—struggle with sleep, depression, or both. Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling or staying asleep, or early morning wakening—and those who have it are 3 times more likely to develop depression.
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SLEEP DISORDERS AND DEPRESSION

The link between depression and sleep disorders is strong. In fact, one study reports that researchers caution medical professionals against making a depression diagnosis if no sleep disturbances are evident, as they are nearly always present with persistent low mood. Unfortunately, sleep problems can exacerbate depression, leading to a negative cycle between depression and sleep that can be very difficult to break. Indeed, people with depression suffer from sleep disorders at astounding rates. One study found 97% of its depressed participants reported having a sleep disorder, and in clinical samples, about 75% of depressed patients have the most common sleep disorder, insomnia. Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling or staying asleep, or early morning wakening—and those who have it are 3 times more likely to develop depression, a study on sleep disturbances reports. Hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness and/or total sleep time) is present in roughly 40% of young adults with depression and 10% of adults over 50—and with a higher incidence in women of all ages, research has found. For hypersomnia patients with depression, there’s also an increased risk of suicide. In some cases, depressed patients may experience both insomnia and hypersomnia in a single bout of depression. Additionally, a 2019 observational study found that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—when you snore loudly, stop breathing multiple times at night, and often feel excessively tired during the day—is associated with an increased incidence of depression, particularly in women. One study estimates that 17.6% of those with OSA also have depression, and 18% of those with depression also have OSA. It’s important to note that while issues of sleep regulation can be secondary to depression, more often they precede it and can persist even during remission. Hence, it’s important to address both sleep issues and depression to ensure the best outcome if you struggle with low mood and/or sleep.

YOUR BRAIN, SLEEP, AND DEPRESSION

When you sleep, your brain conducts cleaning and maintenance—eliminating waste that builds up as a result of daytime functioning and consolidating learning and memory as it prepares for the following day. Other processes during sleep are important to immune health, control of appetite, and, importantly, neurotransmitter production. Of course, sleep disorders compromise these functions. A balance of increasing and decreasing neurotransmitters are needed for the mutual transformation between sleep and wake. However, if these relational neurotransmitters are disrupted or released abnormally, it can affect the normal stages of sleep, causing sleep problems, such as trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Depression is associated with low levels of a number of these neurotransmitters. Research has found changes in what’s called “sleep architecture” (the normal phases of sleep) in depressed patients—such as alterations in slow-wave sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Specifically, REM sleep appears to be experienced earlier in the night, leaving less time for restorative slow-wave sleep, which is associated with mood problems like depression. Many antidepressant medications aim to alleviate depressed symptoms by correcting neurotransmitter levels and restoring the normal phases of sleep, reports a review on antidepressants and sleep, which can be an effective treatment for some people. However, better results are seen when antidepressant treatment is combined with therapy, according to an online report from Harvard Medical School.

TREATING SLEEP ISSUES AND DEPRESSION

If you think you may be suffering from a sleep disorder and/or depression, it is important to first be properly diagnosed by a medical professional. There are several underlying causes of sleep disorders and 6 different types that may or may not be related to depression. Brain SPECT imaging at Amen Clinics has shown that there are 7 different brain patterns associated with depression. Accurate diagnosis is essential to determine the appropriate treatment. One of the more promising new methods for addressing both disordered sleep and low mood is something called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI). In one small study, patients who had both insomnia and mild depression underwent 6 weeks of CBTI, which included sleep hygiene education, muscle relaxation, and controlling stimuli. After 3 months, remarkably, all of the patients who participated in the CBTI no longer exhibited clinically measurable insomnia, and a number of the patients were no longer in a depressive episode. Of course, you can begin practicing good sleep hygiene starting today to help improve your sleep and boost your mood.

6 WAYS TO IMPROVE SLEEP AND BOOST MOOD

Ensuring you get restorative sleep each night can go a long way to boosting your overall health, as well as your mood.
  1. Devise a soothing bedtime routine to encourage sleep. Power down electronic devices an hour before you go to bed and dim the lights in your home. Relax in a warm bath or shower, pray or meditate.
  2. Ensure your bedroom temperature is not too warm but slightly on the cool side.
  3. Use ear plugs or an eye mask, if need be, to ensure it is quiet and dark. If you don’t like wearing an eye mask, invest in some blackout curtains or shades.
  4. Follow regular sleep/wake time by going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning. This will help to regulate your internal body clock and make sleeplessness less likely.
  5. Enjoy reading a book (but not an e-reader or tablet as the light will activate your brain). Preferably choose something dense and not overly exciting like a spiritual book or scripture. You want to promote sleep, not stay up all night reading!
  6. Indulge in some sound therapy. It can be very calming. Consider getting a singing bowl or turning on soothing sounds, a fan, or soft music. Look into sleep-enhancing music.
In addition to restful sleep, boost your mood by getting regular exercise, eating a brain healthy nutrients, and connecting with others. Keep it simple and build on your healthy habits, one at a time. Depression, sleep disorders, and other mental health issues can’t wait. At Amen Clinics, we’re here for you. We offer in-clinic brain scanning and appointments, as well as mental telehealth, clinical evaluations, and therapy for adults, teens, children, and couples. Find out more by speaking to a specialist today at 888-288-9834 or visit our contact page here.