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Phone Usage Effects on the Brain

By silverstate neurology · Comments (0)
Thursday, May 31st, 2018

We live in a world filled with technology. At the forefront of it all: cell phones. We live and breathe with our cell phones by our sides. It makes us wonder: what are our cell phones doing to our brains? The truth is that we must be more cautious. Here are some ways that cell phone usage impairs us and some tips to combat them.

Keeps us up at night

The blue light emitted from our phone can interrupt our bodies’ natural circadian rhythms. Our bodies have adjusted over our lifetimes to understand that blue light is mostly present during the morning. When blue light enters our eyes at night, our bodies want to wake up.

A study in the PNAS Journal proved this when participants found it difficult to sleep after reading from a mobile device. Participants who read from paperback books found, on average, more REM sleep.

Make sure you’re putting away your phone at least 30 minutes before getting into bed. If you need something to do, pull out a book till you drift off to sleep. When we use our phones, we make it more difficult to find a good night’s rest.

Destroying our memory

Before we used cell phones to keep our contacts and information neatly stored, many things had to be memorized. Cell phones give us incredible access to mass amounts of information. They let our brain focus on retaining the information that matters.

But for some people, cell phones hold everything. When this happens, our memory begins to fade, and we must look up every bit of information we need. This could mean constantly using online maps to get us to places in Las Vegas we should know well. It could also mean finding the same recipe online, even if we’ve made the dish tens of times before.

While technology is an incredible storage of information, we must keep our minds active. If we keep our memory in good shape, we can be more productive and stay active away from technology and maintain our overall brain health.

Making us dependent

Cell phones have become an extension of the body. They connect us to our friends and family, and they keep us in touch with the rest of the world. But when we’re away from our cell phones for as little as 10 minutes, we already begin to experience anxiety.

We should cherish the advantages that technology offers, but we should be cautious to form attachments. Even if our phone breaks, we have to be able to function. Try taking some time away from your phone as often as you can. You’ll feel more independent and in tune with your surroundings.

Overloading us with stimuli

Las Vegas is the perfect place to overload our minds with bright, flashy lights. They grab our attention and make the world around us livelier. But, the Las Vegas lights should stick to The Strip and out of our phones. The constant barrage of notifications that we see on our phones overloads us with stimuli. Our mind goes toward a million different places at once, and it becomes difficult to focus.

There are a few ways to keep the stimuli to a minimum. The first of which is to turn off notifications for as many apps as you can. Use the apps on your own time; don’t let them intrude on your other tasks. Second, consider turning your phone’s display into grayscale. This will make the use of your cell phone less addicting. It’ll also decrease the number of stimuli you experience when you must use your phone.

Technology is a major help, but it has overtaken our lives. Take some time to unplug to keep your brain healthy. And if you are experiencing brain health issues, visit your local Las Vegas Neurologist and seek help.

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Categories : Blog, Brain Food, Brain Health, brain stress, Health Tips, las vegas neurologist, Las Vegas neurology clinic, Migraines
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Declutter your Brain

By silverstate neurology · Comments (0)
Thursday, May 24th, 2018

Our lives are constantly dictated by tight schedules and lengthy to-do lists. The stress of the workplace or the home can quickly compound, making even simple tasks seem like a hassle. The best way to stay calm and collected even in those frustrating situations is to keep an organized mind. The goal isn’t to compartmentalize every aspect of your life into an even stricter schedule and to-do list. The goal is to declutter your brain of unnecessary thoughts so that you can focus on one thing at a time (and do it successfully, too).

But how can we go about getting our mind in the right state? With all these stressors surrounding us, it’s a lot tougher than said. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Keep a journal

Yes, I’m sure we have all heard “keep a journal” a thousand times. But, what makes it so useful? Journals are essential for word blurts. When we feel overwhelmed by the thoughts, sometimes the best option is to get it all out at once. Open a document on your computer, and start typing away. Don’t stop until you have nothing left to say. Once you’re done, you’ll be able to focus on specifics without worrying about all those other “things” bouncing around.

Learn a few strategies to make decisions

One of the most stressful aspects of our lives is making decisions. Even choosing what to eat for breakfast can be stressful when you only have 5 minutes to make yourself something that stays true to your diet. Deciding if you want to go out with your friends on a Thursday night, knowing you have work early the next day is another. Or maybe you’re torn between staying with your current job and moving to a new city to pursue something better but making less.

All these decisions that we must make every day of our lives pile up quickly and cause the mind to get cluttered. A useful strategy is Heath’s WRAP method: widen your choices, reality-test your assumptions, attain distance before deciding, and prepare to be wrong.

If you’re short on time, use the tried-and-true method of a pro/con list. Listing your options and their potential benefits and downsides might give you an obvious answer that you weren’t able to see with a cluttered mind.

Know when it is time to see your local Las Vegas Neurologist to help guide you to better brain health management. Sometimes our bodies are trying to tell us something and we don’t listen. If your body and brain is overwhelmed, listen to it. Stress can impact the brain’s health.

Rearrange your priorities

What’s more important to you: family or your career? What about loyalty or honesty? What are your core values? And what do you want to be kept at the forefront of your mind when making decisions? Oftentimes, in the heat of complicated situations, we sacrifice what’s important to us to complete a task. If we constantly remind ourselves of what is important to us, we can make better decisions and make them faster. Keeping a set of principles ahead of us at all times also helps to declutter the things that aren’t as important.

Get out of the past

The biggest clutter in our mind is what we’ve done in the past. We miss one deadline, and it becomes the only thing we can think about for the next week. The best way we can help ourselves is to acknowledge when our mind returns to a negative memory of the past and calmly bring it back to focus. Slowly training our minds to see the positives and stay in the present keeps us free from the clutter of the past.

Clean your physical space

A big contributor to the mess in your mind is the mess that is all around you in your physical space. The unnecessary visual stimuli kick your mind into hyperdrive, making you think you constantly have to accomplish tasks. Taking a few minutes to keep your space clean each day will help you relax.

Conclusion

The stressors that we experience each day of our lives sometimes make it difficult to keep a clear mind. But taking the time to do some clean-up following the tips outlined above can help you live a less stressful life. If you are experiencing brain health issues, visit your local Las Vegas Neurologist and seek help.

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Categories : Blog, Brain Health, brain stress, Health Tips, las vegas neurologist, Las Vegas neurology clinic, Migraines, Silver State Neurology, stress, stress relief
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What does Sugar do to the Brain?

By silverstate neurology · Comments (0)
Thursday, May 10th, 2018

It’s undeniable that some of the tastiest and most enjoyable foods and drinks in the world contain sugar, and we just can’t help but crave them from time to time. Eating small amounts of sugar is not bad but having too much of it will have a negative effect on the brain. A large consumption of it can affect cognitive function as well as psychological well-being. Sugar affects the brain no matter the amount, the size, and the shape.

Sugar can be very addictive. There are tons of different treats that we can lose track eating. A tiny piece of chocolate can have you craving more. The size of the chocolate can bring you believe that the amount of sugar isn’t too bad and then you’ll find yourself having more. At the moment, it doesn’t seem like a lot of sugar. Limit yourself to sugar and treats because too much sugar consumption leads to larger risks within your brain.

What happens in your body when you eat sugar?

Foods and treats high in sugar send a hormone to the brain that makes you feel excited and happy. Having too much sugar can confuse the brain’s reward pathways and cause the brain to react to sugar positively each time it is consumed. This leads to a higher sugar tolerance as well as a loss of control with eating it. This is also known as increasing your sugar cravings.
Glucose is a type of sugar found in different foods you eat. Your body turns this sugar into energy in your bloodstream. A large amount of sugar in your bloodstream running for a longer time than it should can cause damage to many parts of your body not just your brain.
The energy from sugar often gets stored. Insulin is the hormone that transports the glucose from the blood to your cells to store them. Insulin is responsible for regulating the sugar that goes into your bloodstream. Without insulin, your blood sugar levels can rise dangerously and affect your body largely.
High levels of sugar is a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. When diabetes is not controlled, it can damage organs including the brain. Damaging the brain can lead to many brain health issues later down the road.

Types of Sugar

There are a variety of different names that sugar can be listed under. Sugar is in almost everything you eat and each type of sugar has a different effect on our brains and bodies. Sugar is sugar, no matter what kind it is and it will always have an effect on the body, some more than others. These are 3 most commonly used types of sugar:

Brown Sugar contains more minerals than the typical refined white sugar because it contains molasses. It contains little amounts of calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium but it doesn’t make it completely healthy. It is technically healthier than white sugar but not by a large amount.
Granulated Sugar is the most commonly used sugar for baking purposes. It has very little vitamins or nutrients that are healthy for you. It is a raw form of sugar and contains a huge percent of sucrose which should be eaten in moderation. Too much of it can lead to tooth decay, weight gain, and mood changes.
Low-Calorie Sweeteners are an alternative to granulated sugars. One good thing about artificial sweeteners and sugar alternatives is that they don’t contribute too much to weight gain, tooth decay and other effects of sugar.

Bottom Line

Regardless of the different forms and shapes, it comes in, sugar should always be regulated. Sugar treats and drinks are easy to overeat and not take control of. It is important to pay attention to the amount of consumption. You don’t need to cut sugar out of your diet, however, it is something to be aware of to protect the overall well-being of the body and brain health.

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Categories : Alzheimer's disease, Blog, Brain Food, Brain Health, Health Tips, las vegas neurologist, Las Vegas neurology clinic, Silver State Neurology
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Reduce Your Chance of Stroke

By silverstate neurology · Comments (0)
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018

The first step in reducing your chance of stroke is by being fully understanding what it is, what causes it and what you can do to prevent it! Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries that lead to and within the brain. Stroke ranks number 5 in causes of death and is a leading cause of disability in the United States. It is a serious disease that can happen to anyone, at anytime and at any age. Stroke causes lasting brain damage, long-term disability and even death, with little warning.

Strokes can be caused by a blockage of blood flow and oxygen entering the brain as well as blood vessels leaking blood into the brain tissue where brain cells stop working because of it. The causation of stroke dependent on your body. Blood pressure can play a large role in the risk factors of stroke.

Warnings & Symptoms

There may be little to no warning signs of a stroke until it happens. High blood pressure plays a large role in stroke as it can increase your chances of having one. Some warnings and symptoms can last for a few minutes at a time so it is very crucial to be aware of the signs. Time is limited and being aware matters most before a stroke occurs. Symptoms can be mild or excessive, depending on the type of stroke experienced.
Symptoms of a stroke include:

  • Weakness
  • Numbness
  • Facial Droop
  • Speech difficulties
  • Partial vision loss
  • Balance difficulties

    • While these are not the only symptoms of stroke, they are the main indicators of one that should be paid attention to at all costs.

    Types of Stroke

    Different types of stroke are dependent on the part of the brain that is being affected. The two types of blood supply loss in the brain is ischemic and hemorrhagic. The loss of blood ultimately affects parts of your body to stop working which also tells you what kind of stroke a person is having.

    The occurrence of an artery in the brain being blocked, preventing oxygen and blood to reach the brain is called ischemic stroke or referred to as clots. Blockage can be caused by cholesterol buildup otherwise known as plaque. Plaques are dangerous because if they rupture, that is what causes a clot to form and prevent blood from passing through to the brain. This is the most common type of stroke many experience.

    Hemorrhagic strokes also referred to bleeds are caused by blood vessels leaking into the brain tissue which causes the brain cells to stop working. This type of stroke can be caused by having high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause the wall of your artery to weaken over time which can cause strokes, aneurysms, and more types of damage.

    Prevention is the best treatment for reducing your risk factors of stroke. Strokes are life threatening. Your awareness for what can cause it and prevent it can save your life. Preventive care means keeping a close eye on your cholesterol intake, diabetes and smoking. Keeping all three under control can help with preventing blood clots that lead to ischemic strokes. Blood pressure should be controlled with simple lifestyle changes including exercise, good weight and cutting back on a few foods high in sugar and carbohydrates. To learn more, contact Silver State Neurology and we can help you tackle all your questions and concerns!

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    Categories : Blog, Brain Health, brain stress, Health Tips, las vegas neurologist, Las Vegas neurology clinic, Migraines, Silver State Neurology, stroke, Stroke Awareness Month
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    Prevention is Key

    By silverstate neurology · Comments (0)
    Friday, April 20th, 2018

    Maintaining and improving your health is important in preventing your body and especially brain to encounter issues as you age. With preventive tips and care, maintaining a healthy brain is possible. The first step in giving your health the attention it needs is never avoiding symptoms. While not all symptoms should be taken too seriously, it is important to be aware of all types of symptoms. Making a consistent trip to the doctor for a check up is one way of confirming your health is where it needs to be.

    Prevention refers to the maintenance and care you are putting towards your wellness and overall health. Many people don’t pay attention to their health nor do they take preventive measures to ensure the healthiest life possible. Preventive care does not always refer to just physical activity. Physical activity is only one of the many ways to regularly maintain health. Working to be proactive towards your body and brain will help you as you age.

    Preventive Care Tips:

    Take precaution when the flu is in season & take care of yourself when you catch it. It is inevitable that we will get sick a few times a year. Most of the time, we get sick due to lack of vitamin c or other nutrients needed to keep our body strong against infectious bacteria. An easy way to prevent yourself from catching a cold is simply by making sure you are giving your body the nutrients it needs including: vegetables, fruits, and other healthy food options. When we are sick, sometimes we don’t give our bodies the opportunity to recover. Take a day off from work, cancel your weekend plans, whatever it takes to ensure your body is going to receive the rest it needs to recover and heal. Overworking your body while it is weak during a cold make your sickness worse and could lead to your body weakening as the time passes instead of strengthening.

    Change your Lifestyle Habits. When you’re young, you have more energy and think your body can withstand many things. While that is mostly true, it doesn’t happen without the help you. As you grow older, preventive measures matter more. Eating anything and sleeping however little hours and not caring about your body does not work anymore. Start making time to take care of yourself. Exercise is a naturally preventive care that helps both your physical body and your brain. Make it a priority to sleep at a reasonable time and a minimum of 7 to 8 hours. Not getting enough sleep can cause a lot of mental stress and can often lead to sleep disorders. Choose a few meals low in sugar, fats and cholesterol. This can help with preventing Alzheimer’s.

    Build social networks. Having strong ties with friends and family will help in lower blood pressure and keep you happier in your life. Most people de-stress by being around people. When you keep things bottled in, it can affect your mental health and cause you to trigger migraines and even sleep disorders.

    What risks can Preventive Care reduce?

    Preventive care can reduce chances of stroke, heart disease, memory loss and other neurological problems. Many people fear visiting a doctor, but visiting your Las Vegas Neurologist to ensure you are healthy will give you peace of mind and if there is something wrong, you will find out and take measures to treating it. Here at Silver State Neurology, we care about all your concerns, questions and overall well-being. Contact us today to address any of your concerns!

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    Categories : Blog, Brain Food, Brain Health, brain stress, Flu Season, Headaches, Health Tips, las vegas neurologist, Las Vegas neurology clinic, Silver State Neurology, Sleep Disorders, stress, stress relief
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