8 Brain Protecting Habits

Most of us are worried about age-related cognitive decline, but a recent survey revealed that many of us are not aware that there are steps we can take to protect our brain health.

November 14, 2024

A recent survey from the McKnight Brain Research Foundation indicates that 87% of Americans are concerned about age-related decline in brain function and memory loss as they age, but only 32% think that they can take steps to help maintain their brain health. Thankfully, research suggests that there are steps to taking care of your cognitive health, and most of them are easy as well as sustainable.

“All of us want to be cognitively intact for as long as possible,” says Dr. Seemant Chaturvedi, a neurologist and stroke specialist at the University of Maryland Medical Center. The good news, he adds, is that “there are definitely risk factors that can be modified.” Prioritizing healthy behaviors can increase the likelihood that, when we reach our 70s and 80s, we’re still able to summon important memories, drive a car, and engage in a wide variety of activities, Chaturvedi says. And there’s no such thing as “too young” to start taking these steps.

Steps To Protecting Your Brain Health:

Managing Chronic Illness

Those who have chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure would do well to keep their conditions under control as each condition can “damage the blood vessels in the brain and increase the risk of stroke and dementia,” while diminishing cognitive function, said Chaturvedi.

For example, one study found that those with hypertension in midlife had a 6.5% increased decline in cognitive function in later life compared to those without the condition. Another study found that those with higher levels of LDL cholesterol and lower levels of HDL cholesterol tend to have increased levels of amyloid plaques in their brain.

According to Chaturvedi, “If you’re 35 or 40 and have high cholesterol, the current belief is that it’s better to start treatment early,” rather than waiting until you’re 65 or 70 and have a heart attack, he says. “If you get started early, maybe you could either postpone or never even have the heart attack,” which would be doing your brain a big favor.

Get Up And Move More

If you work out at least a few days a week your entire body will benefit from the effort, including your brain. Exercising has been shown to improve cognitive processes and memory as well as increase the thickness of your cerebral cortex which is responsible for emotions, thinking, and communication.

“We’re learning more and more about the benefits of regular exercise for brain health,” said Chaturvedi. “Even in patients who have mild dementia, it’s recommended they engage in exercise three to five times a week.”

Whether you are swimming, playing pickleball, biking, dancing, or walking, the key is to try and do the activity of choice at a moderate intensity, which is typically around 50% to 80% of your maximum heart rate. You may be able to tell if you are operating at moderate intensity if you are able to talk but not sing, you are breathing harder than normal, your heart rate is increased, you are beginning to sweat, and the activity feels somewhat hard.

“A rule of thumb I give my patients is that if you and I were going for a walk, we’d want to be walking at a pace where we’d be pretty out of breath, but we’d still be able to have a conversation,” says Dr. Carolyn Fredericks, an assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine. She adds: “It’s just getting your heart into that range and keeping it there for a while.”

Restful Sleep

Sleep is often overlooked, however, those experiencing more disrupted sleep in their 30s and 40s may be more likely to have memory and thinking problems a decade later, according to research published in Neurology. Other research suggests that those who have trouble falling to sleep (insomnia) have a 51% increased risk of dementia.

If you are having trouble sleeping, you could try yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises. A lot of people swear by white noise machines to help soothe them to sleep. Additionally, reading may help to calm your mind and help you drift into slumberland. If you are having trouble sleeping, you are not alone.

In another article, we have listed a number of at-home techniques that may help, but if you have chronic insomnia, it may be time to consider seeking professional help.

Mindful Eating

Following a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean Diet which focuses on fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and healthy fats can help to promote brain health. Keeping an eye on portion size, and taking the time to chew your food slowly also appears to be impactful.

While eating certain healthy options is important to brain health, avoiding those that can negatively affect brain health is equally important. For example, a diet rich in trans fats has been shown to affect memory, and a diet rich in excessive salt has been linked with cerebrovascular disease, stroke, and cognitive impairment.

Train Your Brain

Mentally stimulating activities like learning a new language/skill, puzzles, and Sudoku can help your mind stay sharp as you age. Brain-boosting activities should be challenging, if they are too easy, the benefits shrink, but if they are too hard it could cause one to give up before achieving any benefits, the trick is to find the sweet spot and do a variety of activities, according to Dr. Roy Hamilton who’s a professor of neurology, psychiatry, and physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. “It’s got to be somewhere in the sweet zone, and it has to be something that you want to do,” said Hamilton.

Social Connection/Interaction

While there is no known limit on how long we should spend around other people, research is clear that social engagement helps to strengthen neural networks involved in attention and memory.

Research shows that our brains were not meant to exist in isolation which leads to loneliness, anxiety, depression, stress, and poor health outcomes. Mental health matters, studies have linked depression with an increased risk of cognitive decline.

To boost your social life you could reach out to family and friends for a brunch get-together, or contact old friends you haven’t chatted with in a while to catch up. You could join a club, or group, or take a cooking lesson. Perhaps you could volunteer in your community or local pet shelter. Another option is to try video chatting with friends and family who are too far away to meet in person.

Keep Stress In Check

Stress can negatively affect your entire body, especially your brain. Modern society appears to be set up to stress you out, keeping stress in check is not an easy feat these days. However, evidence suggests that chronic stress is harmful to cognitive functions, and those with elevated levels of stress have been shown to have a 37% increased risk of experiencing cognitive issues.

To lower stress you could try to take a leisurely stroll in the park, listen to your favorite music, watch a favorite movie, play with the family pet, draw, read, exercise to release some feel-good endorphins, go for a massage, practice yoga, or try meditation to calm your mind.

Avoid Harmful Behaviors

Did you know that air pollution is linked to an increased likelihood of developing dementia? One way to protect yourself is to check air quality reports, when pollution is particularly high in your area avoid venturing outside, but if you must try to use a proper good quality face mask like an N95 or KN95.

Smoking may well be one of the most harmful habits, being shown to cause cancer, increase the risk of stroke, and lead to cognitive decline as well as dementia. There is no healthy amount of smoking, it is damaging to cardiovascular health as well as vascular health.

Drinking alcohol has also been shown to be bad for your brain health, especially excessively which literally causes temporary brain dysfunction and damage that takes a toll over the long term, according to Hamilton who is also on the board of trustees at the McKnight Brain Research Foundation.

Recent research indicates that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, newer studies have found little to no protective effects on cardiovascular or any other outcomes. The risks and harms are well documented and include cancer, heart disease, liver disease, damage to the nervous system, brain damage, and dementia.

As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

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References/Sources/Materials provided by:

https://mcknightbrain.org/

https://time.com/7081407/brain-health-neurologist-tips

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-mcknight-brain-research-foundation-

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2646624

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4083819

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770965

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/exercise-and-brain-health

https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/adding-adults/what-counts.html#:~:text=Moderate%2Dintensity%20aerobic%20physical%20activity,Walking%20fast

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36707315

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1052305717304147