Think Tank: The Neuro Blog
Mental Blockades and What to Do About Them
Have you ever had that feeling of not being able to finish the project you’re working on? Or not being able to even start? If you do, don’t worry, as you’re not the only one. This is something that happens to virtually everyone, and there are many reasons for it. Here’s a scenario that’s probably familiar to you: You sit at your desk and you’re looking to study/work, when all of a sudden you realize that you need to wipe the table, drink some water, and check Instagram to see what’s new. After you do all that, you feel like going to the toilet, checking your phone again, and doing pretty much anything to avoid working. If this happens to you, you’re facing a mental blockade. There are many reasons why this can occur. To help you understand them, let’s go over the most common ones, followed by some solutions.
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How Google’s AI is Helping Neuroscience Evolve
Artificial intelligence is a concept that has been dreamt about for decades now. You’ve had the chance to see robots in books, movies, and other forms of science-fiction entertainment. Thanks to decades of research and the evolution of technology, AI is becoming more science than fiction. We’re getting closer to developing machines that can have human characteristics. Even though we won’t witness this for quite some time, there’s no doubt that technology is moving in that direction. The problem is, before we make robots with brains similar to those of humans, we need to understand how the human brain works. Even though we can see it, and understand some of it, there’s still a lot of things to be discovered about it. Being one of the world’s biggest tech companies, Google has always wanted to be the leader in AI, as the first company to bring this technology to fruition will likely dominate the tech sector, if not the world. Towards this end, Google’s research aims to understand more about the human brain so that the knowledge can be applied to AI. This is of course music to the ears of neuroscientists.
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How to Get into the Habit of Doing the Hard Things
Is your daily routine unproductive? It may be if you are in the habit of avoiding things that make you uncomfortable. Sure, you need to take the trash to the curb every Wednesday night. You know that. Your spouse knows that. Yet, you may avoid the task by putting it off until Thursday morning every single week. You still get it done so what does it matter? As it happens, it matters a lot because you are reinforcing the message that it is okay to avoid doing things that you don’t want to do. This goes beyond procrastination and turns into a habit. When you get into the habit of avoiding things you don’t feel comfortable doing, you set yourself up for giving up in the future.
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Tips and Tricks to Improve Concentration Power
While it’s one of the essential requirements for normal day-to-day functioning, concentration always seems to be in short supply. We get up in the morning and struggle through our assignments and projects, only to reach the evening and unable to wrap our minds around a movie’s plot. Problems of this sort plague everyone; some have it better, others have it worse. But the ability to change and improve the situation is common to us all. The good news is that mental endurance, like its physical counterpart, can be increased through dedicated practice and effort. There are many ways to go about, so make sure you choose the one that fits you best. Here are our favorite tips and tricks to boost concentration power.
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How to Stay Calm in Any Situation
When was the last time you felt like you were in the present moment? How did you recognize that feeling? In the words of Eckhart Tolle, being present means to ‘become conscious of being conscious’. This means that you can experience everything that is happening to the fullest extent. This is sometimes referred to as mindfulness, and its many benefits have been proven over and over again. It ensured that you can react properly in any given situation, without letting your mind create distracting scenarios. Aside from the feeling of contentment, presence of mind ensures that you’re able to solve problems easily and be quick on your feet. Here you’ll see some of the examples of true presence of mind. But let’s not get too serious about it, and just go over some interesting ones instead.
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Ways You Can Substantially Increase and Maintain Your Motivation
Motivation is the inner driving force needed to do whatever that needs to be done. Motivation is something within us, yet we constantly look for it without. In any event, finding the motivation to do something can be draining. If this struggle is all too familiar to you, this might be your time to implement a different approach. The tips you find below are going to help you increase your motivation and enjoy a more productive and rewarding life.
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The Effects of Processed Sugar on Your Brain
Effects of Processed Sugar on Your Brain Processed sugar, something we all crave and love, has become almost omnipresent in the Western diet. It is present in sodas, chewing gums, energy drinks, chocolates, mints, you name it. Besides, it is used in a staggering array of food products we wouldn’t normally associate with it. People love sugar because it tastes great, because it lifts their mood, and because it hits that reward center in the brain better than any other legal substance. Actually, it is better at it than a vast majority of illegal substances, as this 2007 study shows. In this article, we’ll take a deeper look into the effects of processed sugar on the human brain, how it keeps people addicted, and how to cope with it. Just One More Everyone`s got that one favorite sweet they can't get enough of or can't leave well enough alone. And everyone's heard themselves say, more times than they'd care to admit, "Just one more." Then, one more after that, then another, and another. Before long, and before they realize what happened, they'd be staring at an empty bag, feeling a mix of shame, nausea, and a sugar high. Sounds familiar? You bet it does. That’s how sugar addiction works. We get the munchies, we buy our favorite candy, and we get stuffed before we realize what we’re doing. We vow to never do it again, but we always do. So, you might wonder, why do we keep doing it to ourselves when we know that it’s bad for our health? When we know that it can cause systemic inflammation, diabetes, ulcers, some types of cancers, and a whole lot of other diseases. Why do we come back to it when it ruins our teeth, when it gives us new layers of belly fat and cellulite? High and Low The short answer is, because it tastes better than anything else. Just look at kids and babies when they’re eating. They might grimace at vegetables, meat, eggs, or anything else. But no baby frowns at the taste of sweet food. And you can’t find a kid that would choose a vegetable smoothie over a soda. At least, not in his or her own will. Sugar also rewards us better than any other food. It makes us feel good, enhances our mood, and kicks our brain into overdrive. When we’re on sugar, we feel motivated and happy. We’re full of energy and ready to tackle every obstacle in sight. This is because, as this study concludes, sugar releases opiates into the brain which increase the appetite for sucrose. The downside of sugar high happens when the excess sugar leaves our system and things go back to normal. Our mood drops, as well as our motivation and ability to focus. We’re grumpy and fussy, and we don’t know why we feel like that. If you’ve heard this before it’s because it functions like every other addiction. How Sugar Affects the Body It is very important to know that excessive sugar intake also has negative effects on the body. It is one of the leading causes of systemic inflammation, as this 2011 study points out. Systemic inflammation in turn can cause a host of other problems, such as insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes, and pre-diabetes. Also, wounds take longer to heel with systemic inflammation. Moreover, it ruins your teeth. It spoils them faster and more effectively than pretty much any food out there. It might create plague and cause bad breath, cavities, and a bunch of other problems. It does that by killing the healthy bacteria in your mouth. Rotten and bad teeth can cause other health problems down the line. Lastly, sugar has a less than flattering effect on your looks. A recent study conducted in Australia linked it to acne. Other studies found that it severely increased belly fat. Breast and colon cancer have also been linked to high sugar intake. It is among the leading causes of obesity, as well. What to do About it? The most obvious answer here would be to kick it. Ditch the sugar and sugar-rich foods altogether. Stop eating chocolate, drinking sodas, and adding sugar to your coffee and tea. It might sound severe and harsh, which it probably is, but it is the best way to get rid of the addiction. Here are some steps that you might take. Take up exercise. Healthy and balanced physical activity helps regulate insulin levels and balance out brain chemicals. It has positive effects on mood, motivation, and concentration. It helps with depression and anxiety, as well. Lastly, it is efficient at combating the physical manifestations of sugar addiction, such as unwanted fat. Ditch the sodas, energy drinks, and other sugars in liquid form. What happens when you consume such drinks is the intake of “empty” calories (calories with no nutritional value). They open up your appetite and make you crave more sugar and food in general. Replace them with bottled water, tea, coffee, or caffeine gum. Stop eating fast food, pizza, and hot dogs, and put healthy food on your menu. The best route here is to buy and prepare your own food, as much as possible. Of course, that might not always be possible, so find healthy alternatives for these situations. We’ve saved the hardest step for last. Stop eating candy. Without this step, you’ll never make it. Candy products (chocolate, ice creams, cakes, bonbons, etc.) are flooded with sugar, causing you to prolong the addiction. You might replace candy with fresh fruit. Fruit also contains sugar, so be careful not to overdo it, but at least it’s natural and not processed sugar. Conclusion More than just the brain, sugar can seriously harm your body, as well. The good effects last only a short while, whereas the negative ones accumulate over time, causing serious damage down the road. So, the next time you get that sweet tooth, remember what goes on behind the scenes and what sugar actually does to you and your health. Sure, it would give you immense pleasure and boost your mood in no time, but the trade-off is just not worth it.
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5 Tips to Improve Your Writing
There’s more to writing than just stringing random words together and inserting an occasional punctuation mark. Writing is hard work, no matter how easy it may look. It takes a lot of time, practice, and dedication. Being a natural born wordsmith is good, but sheer talent can only take you so far. To succeed as a writer, you must have a passion for the written word, the desire to learn and grow, and the strength to overcome creative challenges along the way. Sure, in this age of blogs, social media, and social journalism, everyone and their grandma can – and do – call themselves a writer. However, only few are truly great at what they do. If you want to join their ranks, these five tips could help you achieve that goal.
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How Stress Negatively Impacts the Body and What You Can Do About It
Think that your daily stress is just something you have to cope with? It’s a part of living, right? Unfortunately, chronic stress can take a toll on your body as well as your mind. And just because it seems to be a part of daily life doesn’t make it okay. The saying is true; stress really does kill. And its toxicity can seep into different parts of your body. But you aren’t helpless. Find out how stress may impact you and what you can do to get some control back in your life.
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