Im A Neurologist… Here Are Three Things I Would NEVER Do

The brain may not be the largest organ in the body but it arguably does have the biggest impact.

A neurologist has shared the things he avoids to keep his brain healthy – warning that people could be at risk of hearing loss, developing dementia and making pre-existing medical conditions worse if they follow these habits.

Dr Baibing Chen, known on social media as Dr Bing, shared important information in a TikTok where he listed the top three things he stays away from to optimize brain health.

The content creator, who regularly shares crucial health information on his social media accounts, started by advising people not to wear headphones to bed.

‘If you are one of those people that wear headphones to bed, just make sure that the sounds that you’re playing are quiet and not loud,’ the double-boarded certified neurologist and epileptologist said.

According to Dr Bing, loud sounds can damage the hair cells in your inner ear and over time, this can raise the risk of hearing loss and dementia.

‘Also, wearing earbuds and headphones for hours can trap moisture and bacteria, which then increase the risk of developing ear infections,’ the medical expert added.

He explained that loud sounds may also interrupt someone’s deep sleep cycle.

He said that this can lead to disruption of the brain’s lymphatic system, which is part of the brain’s waste-removal mechanism to clean out toxins.

Dr Bing then implored people not to ignore their gum health, citing a recent study he read that linked gum health to brain health.

‘Every night I floss and I water floss and I brush,’ he shared.

A 2025 study from the American Academy of Neurology found that both gum disease and cavities were linked to an 86 percent increased risk of having a stroke compared to having a healthy mouth.

It also associated people with poor oral health with a 36 percent higher risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events.

While Dr Bing acknowledged that ‘association is not causation,’ he explained that ‘strong repeated associations’ are how risks are first discovered, and ignoring them means ignoring warning signs.

Thirdly, Dr Bing urged people not to sit on the toilet for than five minutes.

‘This is because sitting too long and straining can cause blood to pool in your legs and drop your blood pressure, especially if you have certain underlying conditions and not enough blood going to your brain can cause someone to faint,’ he explained.

The doctor said he sees examples of this almost weekly, urging people not to sit on the toilet for too long unless they have a chronic bowel disease.

People took to the comments section of the video to share their own thoughts, many admitting they were guilty of some of the habits.

‘I used to work overnight and wore earbuds for shifts the entire shift, I would get constant earaches and ear infections until I put two and two together,’ one commenter shared.

‘So listening to music on the highest volume possible to calm myself down isn’t great?’ asked another.