Taking care of your cognitive health ought to be-well, a no-brainer. According to a survey published in March, 87% of Americans are concerned about age-related memory loss and a decline in brain function as they grow older, yet only 32% believe they can take action to help control that trajectory.
"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." Changing our lifestyle habits can go a long way:
drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, for example, can damage the parts of the brain involved in important functions like memory, decisionmaking, impulse control, and attention. Smoking is similarly perilous. It can lead to cognitive decline and dementia, while increasing the risk of stroke.
Prioritizing healthy behaviors like exercising and eating a nutritious diet 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. "Even if you're in your 20s, what you're doing now will help you maintain brain health later in life," he says.
With that in mind, we asked four neurologists what we should all do every day for better brain health.
Manage your chronic illnesses
If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, it's essential to make sure it's under control. Each condition can "damage the blood vessels in the brain and increase the risk of stroke and dementia," while diminishing cognitive function, Chaturvedi says. In one study, for example, people who had hypertension in their 40s to early 60s had a 6.5% steeper decline in cognitive skills in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, compared with those with normal blood pressure. That's why it's important to get your numbers checked regularly, and to work with your doctor to establish a treatment regimen.
Exercise for 30 minutes
Your entire body will benefit if you work out at least a few days a week- and that includes your brain. Research suggests that exercising improves cognitive processes and memory, while increasing the thickness of your cerebral cortex, which is responsible for tasks like language, thinking, and emotions. "We're learning more and more about the benefits of regular exercise for brain health," Chaturvedi says. "Even in patients who have mild dementia, it's recommended they engage in exercise three to five times a week."
Eat like you're vacationing on the Italian coast
Dr. Carolyn Fredericks, an assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine, always recommends her patients follow a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. "We've tried over the years to find the secret ingredient that makes the Mediterranean diet work," she says. "Like, could it be the omega-3s in the fish, or the vitamin E in the nuts?" But what appears to be most impactful, she says, is the style of eating and emphasis on whole foods.
Challenge your mind
People often ask Dr. Roy Hamilton what kind of mental stimulation is best. Rather than focusing on one pursuit, Hamilton recommends curating a "diet of intellectual activities." He compares it to asking a nutritionist what you should eat for a healthy diet: the answer wouldn't be carrots, more carrots, and only carrots. Make it a point to exercise your brain in a variety of ways, just as you feast on lots of different snacks and meals.
Rest up
Not getting enough sleep is a key risk factor for dementia, says Dr. Augusto Miravalle, a neurologist at Rush University Medical Center. Research suggests that people in their 50s and 60s who get six hours of sleep or less per night are 30% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those who log at least seven hours. So what should you do if you lie awake at night ? Miravalle suggests improving your sleep hygiene by taking steps like avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evening, limiting naps, and putting away electronics before bed
From Time magazine