[One Thousand Characters a Day] Jeong Heewon's 'The Secret to Aging Slowly' <2>

Editor's NoteAlthough the human body is originally designed to move a lot, we tend to rely on elevators, taxis, and private cars even for short distances. Our calorie expenditure decreases, while we order stimulating foods with just a click. Added to this are the constant alarms and new content stimuli from smartphones, causing the brain to overload and seek more stimulation. Not only the body shape but also the reward system and cognitive functions deteriorate. Let's try the somewhat inconvenient and dull health method proposed by Professor Jeong Heewon of Seoul Asan Medical Center, author of You Too Can Age Slowly. Professor Jeong says, "If practiced for more than three months, even after eliminating most of the pleasurable stimuli in life, everyday enjoyment continues, stress hormone secretion decreases, and inner tension is relieved." The text contains 876 characters.

Let's keep a 'dopamine remodeling' journal by recognizing which stimuli in life are currently triggering dopamine release and reducing exposure to harmful and intense ones. For example, if you crave sweets or alcohol, record when the craving occurs, how you felt at that moment, why you had such thoughts, whether you were simply thirsty, if you were stressed, and how you felt after drinking two cups of water instead of a sugary drink or beer. Similarly, briefly record daily how you feel when you read a book instead of watching YouTube before sleeping, or how it feels to sit or stand upright focusing on your breathing instead of hunched over looking at your smartphone on the subway.

Then, when you open a portal site or shopping app and start scrolling without reason, pause for a moment and think as follows: "Ah, I am feeling some kind of deficiency right now. Why is that? Am I hungry or emotionally distressed?" This is similar to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but rather than suppressing yourself with "I shouldn't do this, I shouldn't do this," stopping and reflecting like this is much more effective. Simply suppressing it is like pressing down a spring that might snap back with greater force.

Surprisingly, dopamine remodeling does not take long. Within a few days, you will feel the vicious cycle weakening; in 2 to 3 weeks, noticeable changes occur in daily life; and in 2 to 3 months, broad changes happen in cognition, emotion, and body shape. This timeline is similar to the time it takes for symptoms of depression patients to improve with appropriate medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. As excessive stimulation ultimately causes physical and mental suffering and even affects metabolism and the cardiovascular system, life’s elements are interconnected, so improving just one or two factors positively influences many aspects of life.

- Jeong Heewon, You Too Can Age Slowly, The Quest, 17,800 KRW