You might be surprised to learn that a lot of ordinary routines are the same ones linked with weaker attention, memory, and low intelligence.
Floss never enters the routine
Here’s one that sounds pretty ridiculous. Flossing. Skipping it doesn’t measure intelligence, of course, but poor oral health has been linked to weaker cognitive performance. It’s a particular problem with older adults.
Yes, those with gum disease and tooth loss usually don’t perform very well on memory and thinking tests. Refusing to floss every day fits into that pattern. Think about it this way, you’re avoiding a basic preventive habit, and that’s not the mark of someone smart.
Too many screens at once
It feels so normal to watch TV and scroll on your phone. That’s probably why nobody really thinks a lot about it. But as it turns out, people who use media so much to multitask tend to perform worse on working memory and fluid intelligence tests.
They really struggle with understanding what actually matters and what doesn’t. No, they’re not simply distracted. They find it really difficult to figure out what actually deserves attention in the first place because there’s so much competing for their focus at the same time.
The headline becomes the story
Some people treat the headline of the article as if it’s the whole thing. They won’t bother clicking it or checking the contents, they’ll simply reshare it without looking more into it. These are the same kind of people who score lower on cognitive reflection.
They’re a lot more likely to accept inaccurate headlines as true because they have no desire to look further than the headline. They trust their first reaction only and that’s all. They’re not fooled by every headline, of course, but when it happens enough, it’s a good sign they’re not intelligent.
The first answer always wins
There’s a time and place for quick thinking, including with how you approach the first answer you think of. Cognitive tests show that people who catch themselves and reconsider their answer tend to perform better.
As for those who go for the first, obvious answer, well, they don’t do so well. It’s a habit that really matters because reasoning involves a lot more than simply knowing things. You have to be able to recognize when your own brain has rushed ahead. Only intelligent people do that.
The television stays on for hours
Don’t feel bad if you watch an hour or so of TV every day because, really, it’s not that bad. It’s only when you spend four or five hours every day watching the screen that things change. Several studies have linked heavier television viewing with lower scores on memory and fluid intelligence tests.
It only gets worse when people stick to these habits for years. In fact, one study found that watching more than 3.5 hours of TV each day can lead to steep declines in verbal memory. The TV itself isn’t exactly the problem. It’s the fact that you’re doing something completely passive.
Free time rarely leaves the chair
So many of us work at a desk and drive home, then eat sitting down and spend the evening on the couch. It’s normal. Except, the problem is that research has found people living a more sedentary life tend to perform worse than those who don’t.
Older adults who spend more time sitting down reported poorer cognitive performance and cognitive impairment issues. Those who did regular physical activity experienced the opposite. It makes sense, though. Movement increases your blood flow and gives your brain more stimulation than sitting in one place for hours.
Sweet drinks become routine
You might want to be careful if you’re the kind of person who has a sugary drink with lunch, dinner, and every afternoon snack. These drinks have a lot of sugar, for one. Research has also found that people with higher sugary-drink intake perform worse on memory tests.
That’s not all. Those who drank more sugary drinks had lower total brain volume, too. That’s not to say that soda makes someone less intelligent because, obviously, that’s not true. But it’s kind of telling when sugary drinks are the automatic choice several times a week.
The bread choice never changes
What you eat matters too, especially when it comes to bread. White bread is one of those things that a lot of people eat because it’s so cheap and common. But that’s a problem. Whole grains, like brown bread, have more fiber and nutrients than refined grains.
Studies have found that having more whole grains could lead to a slower decline in memory and overall cognitive performance. In other words, always choosing white bread could be a bad thing. It might mean you’re lacking the nutrients you need for better long-term brain health.
Nothing gives the brain much work
Relaxing is one thing. Refusing to allow your brain to do anything difficult outside work is something else. No reading and no puzzles, no learning and no hobbies that require practice. It’s just easy entertainment every night. That’s an issue.
Always choosing passive forms of entertainment, rather than active forms, is a good sign that someone isn’t that intelligent. They don’t want their brain to engage at all outside of work. Your brain benefits from the occasional struggle, but people like this are happy coasting.
The phone keeps interrupting
We’ve all been there. We open a document and write three lines, then we check our phones. We return to our work to read the same sentence again, then we check the phone once more. It’s a common habit that’s way too difficult to get out of. But maybe we should try.
People who frequently check their phone tend to struggle with their performance on attention-heavy tasks. They’re unable to keep their focus on a single task. You’re not very intelligent if you behave that way, let’s just say that.
Sleep regularly stretches past nine hours
Nine hours of sleep turn into ten, and then somehow, ten becomes eleven. Not everyone who sleeps over eight hours is unintelligent. They might be suffering from health issues, for example. But the research does have something to say about habitually long sleepers.
Those who sleep for a long time score lower on tests of memory and other thinking skills. But don’t worry, it’s not an exact intelligence test. It is something to pay more attention to, however.
Nights keep getting cut short
It’s a similar issue with sleeping too little. People who sleep less than the optimal seven to eight hours do worse on cognitive tests, including those measuring attention and working memory. It’s bad news for anyone who thinks they can survive on five hours a night.
Chronically short sleep is a possible sign that someone has low intelligence because it’s a direct cause of it. The thing is, the habit can feel completely normal. People have a sip of coffee and their day starts, so they probably don’t think more about it.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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