Psychiatrist names seven common habits that may harm brain health — and what to do about them
Dr. Daniel Amen says everyday behaviors from overcommitting to eating ultra-processed foods can undermine the prefrontal cortex and raise risks for depression, cognitive decline and other harms
A California psychiatrist and brain-imaging researcher is warning that seven everyday habits widely regarded as harmless may quietly damage brain health and, in some cases, shorten life.
Dr. Daniel Amen, a double board‑certified psychiatrist who studies brain scans, told The Post that long-standing routines and impulses can erode the prefrontal cortex — the brain region responsible for planning, decision‑making and supervising habits — and that once habits form they require roughly the same energy to maintain whether they are beneficial or harmful.
Amen identified seven common behaviors he says are “secretly” undermining brains: overcommitting to obligations; juggling too many responsibilities or multitasking; regular consumption of ultra‑processed foods; prolonged physical inactivity; using personal care products that contain potentially toxic chemicals; staying stuck in the same routines and not learning new skills; and engaging in activities that increase the risk of head injury.
The warning about overcommitment stems in part from the cognitive cost of divided attention, Amen said. Saying yes to everything encourages multitasking and chronic distraction, which he said can increase stress and reduce focus, memory and decision‑making. He recommends giving oneself time to respond — using a line such as “I have to think about it” — and restructuring environments to avoid impulse decisions.
Multitasking and juggling responsibilities can magnify those effects. On brain scans, Amen said, lower activity and blood flow in task‑managing regions correlate with poorer concentration and higher anxiety. He advised reducing distractions and dedicating uninterrupted time to individual tasks to preserve cognitive resources.
Amen singled out ultra‑processed foods — items such as chips, cookies and many packaged meals — as particularly harmful to longer‑term health. Studies have linked high consumption of such foods to obesity, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, depression, anxiety and premature death. Researchers estimate that ultra‑processed products make up as much as 70% of the average American diet in some analyses. "Eating unhealthy foods isn't a reward — it's a punishment," Amen said, urging people to favor foods that provide both enjoyment and nourishment.
Prolonged physical inactivity was described as another major risk. Amen noted that low blood flow to the brain, observable on scans, is associated with higher rates of depression and attention‑deficit symptoms and is a leading imaging predictor of Alzheimer's disease. Increasing movement through regular exercise improves cerebral blood flow and is linked to better mood, attention and memory.
Concern about personal care products focused on compounds such as parabens, phthalates and formaldehyde‑releasing agents. Amen cautioned that some chemicals used in cosmetics and other products can interfere with hormones and have been tied in some studies to fatigue, mood changes, cognitive symptoms and developmental effects. He recommended checking ingredients with consumer‑facing tools such as the Think Dirty app and replacing products that contain suspect chemicals.
Stagnant routines that do not include new learning were another target. Amen said continued engagement in novel activities and learning helps maintain neural connections and memory; conversely, he said, “when you stop learning, your brain starts dying.”
Finally, Amen underscored the risks posed by head injuries. A 2025 study cited by the researcher found that about 3.3% of U.S. adults and 2.2% of children reported sustaining a traumatic brain injury within the previous year. Even seemingly mild bumps to the head, he said, can lead to anxiety, depression, brain fog, irritability and memory problems. Practical protections include wearing helmets while cycling, using stair handrails and avoiding distracting behaviors such as texting while driving.
Amen and other experts advise practical steps to reduce harm. For entrenched habits, clinicians commonly recommend changing the environment to limit triggers, finding healthier alternatives to satisfy the same urges, building in gradual changes rather than seeking immediate perfection, and practicing self‑compassion when setbacks occur. For chemical exposure, replacing products with fewer or no endocrine‑disrupting ingredients is a commonly recommended precaution.
The observations reflect a mix of individual clinical experience and interpretations of imaging studies; some links between behaviors and long‑term outcomes such as dementia remain the subject of ongoing research. Public health studies provide associative evidence for diet, activity and injury prevention, while mechanistic brain imaging highlights areas for further study.
Readers seeking to reduce brain‑health risks can consult primary‑care clinicians, neurologists or psychiatrists for individualized advice. Public health guidance continues to emphasize balanced diets rich in whole foods, regular physical activity, protective measures to prevent head injuries and reducing exposure to known toxic chemicals where feasible.