The last thing I want to mention about brain health is rest. Getting into good sleep habits is important for the brain. Research has shown that people who have slept only 4 hours a night have an increase in a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone which is related to the deposition of fat in the abdomen. Cortisol also has an effect in the brain.
The area of the brain where memory occurs is the hippocampus. When cortisol levels are high, this area of the brain begins to shrink. By increasing sleep to 8-9 hours, the amount of cortisol drops significantly. The other thing about cortisol is that when the levels are high, the brain cells are unable to produce energy to function.
I'll talk a little more about sleep again tomorrow.
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