Many people are concerned about brain health and memory loss as they age, and for good reason. 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 in our area has dementia, and 1 in 3 Americans dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Between 2000 and 2022, deaths from heart disease decreased 2%, while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease increased 142%. It is a growing problem. But it’s not just something that older people need to be concerned with.
The younger we are when we recognize dementia is a risk for each one of us, the more we can do to protect ourselves. Our actions in youth and midlife affect our risk when we are older. Brain changes can start years, even decades, before we notice any symptoms, so protecting brain health is important from childhood on.
About Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
Dementia is not a single disease, but is an umbrella term for loss of memory and other brain-related abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. Dementia can affect memory, thinking, language, problem-solving, and even personality, and it gets worse over time. It is not a normal part of aging, but it is more common with age. Alzheimer’s disease is the best known and most common, but there are many others including Lewy Body and vascular. All are chronic and progressive diseases affecting the ability to function, eventually leading to death.
Brain health and risk of dementia are affected by age, genetics, family history, some health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, and our lifestyle choices. While we can’t change things like age or genetics, there are many actions we can take to protect and maybe even improve our brain health. It is never too early or too late to start.
The Six Pillars of Brain Health
These habits have the strongest scientific evidence that they help keep our brains healthy.
-
Do physical activity. Everyone knows that being physically active is good for your general health. It is also important for brain health. If you are active, carry on! If not, work to incorporate more movement. Aerobic activities (that have you breathing hard) are especially key. Find what works for you: taking a regular walk, dancing with your kids, parking further from the store, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator all count. 30 minutes of moderate to heavy exercise (such as a brisk walk) 5 or more days a week has been shown to protect your brain and may even slow down the progression of dementia.
-
Make healthy food choices. The MIND diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the DASH diet share similar themes: eat more vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins and eat fewer processed foods. Make small changes that you can make permanent, then build on those. For example, add a vegetable to one meal per day.
-
Sleep well. Getting at least 7 hours of good quality sleep is important. Have a regular sleep schedule, a comfortable sleep environment, and avoid screens before bedtime to improve your sleep. Some problems, like sleep apnea, can affect brain health and should be addressed with your health care provider.
-
Manage stress. A little stress is normal, but excessive stress is not good for us. Talk to your doctor if you feel stressed a lot of the time.
-
Be social. Volunteer, join activities, and reach out to others. Senior centers and libraries offer a variety of social activities for older people.
-
Challenge your mind. Formal education protects brain health, and more is better. It also helps to keep challenging your mind throughout life, including new ways of thinking. Learn a new hobby, take up a musical instrument, or work on learning a new language.
Scientific Research Backs Up This Guidance
A new study, the US POINTER, asked whether healthy habits could protect the brain. Participants did aerobic exercise four times a week plus strength, stretching, and balance exercises. They regularly had their blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight checked by a health care provider; followed the MIND diet, eating lots of dark leafy greens, berries, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, and fish, and limiting sugar and unhealthy fats; and regularly challenged their brains. Results showed a significant positive impact on brain health.
Research also shows that reducing or quitting smoking, managing blood pressure and diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight, and protecting against head injuries can all help protect brain health. Research on other areas is being done, including on hearing and vision loss, and air pollution.
Making Changes Isn’t Easy
Making many lifestyle changes all at once is not practical. We are much more likely to succeed if we try to build healthy habits one at a time. It can take two months or more for a new activity to become a habit, so be patient with yourself, and don’t give up even if you don’t succeed at first. Keep trying different approaches to make your new healthy habit “stick.”
Even improving on one or two of the above risk factors can significantly decrease your chances of experiencing dementia later in life.
If You Are Concerned
Early detection is important. It gives time to get treatment and to make changes that might slow the disease. Talk to your medical provider if you start to wonder about changes to your memory or thinking.
Resources
For more information about brain health, take a look at some of these resources.
- AARP’s Brain Health Resource Center, with tips on making brain health a habit and much more.
- MedLinePlus, an online health information resource from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world’s largest medical library, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- The Alzheimer’s Association has information about all kinds of dementia and has a 24/7 helpline (800-272-3900).
View past articles in The Good Life on Alzheimer’s and Dementia, Nutrition, and Healthy Living.
