How do you take care of your brain? Doctors provide 10 simple ways.
As we age, the risk of cognitive decline increases. Many people wonder how to delay the appearance of symptoms, asking questions like: Do small changes make a difference? In response, neurologists have offered ten simple tips to maintain brain health throughout our lives, according to The Guardian:
Take care of your overall health
Dr. Susan O’Sullivan, a consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, states, “Everything that applies to body health applies to brain health.”
She adds, “When you hit your twenties, you can get away with it. You might not sleep well for a few nights and so on. But you can’t get away with it once you reach middle age. With each year I age, my lifestyle becomes healthier.”
Her advice often focuses on lifestyle choices, saying, “I work with many people who have degenerative brain diseases, which are not caused by lifestyle. But everything improves with a moderate amount of exercise, healthy eating, and good sleep, whether it’s physical, brain-related, or mental health issues.”
Avoid smoking and alcohol
Tom Solomon, a professor of neurology at the University of Liverpool, explains, “If you want to damage your brain, smoke a lot.” Similarly, “excessive alcohol consumption is not good… overall evidence suggests that alcohol is harmful, especially to the brain,” he notes.
Dr. Faye Paget, a neurologist at Oxford University Hospitals, takes a firm stance: “I find that non-dependent drinkers who consume small amounts of alcohol daily over decades may also run into trouble.”
Exercise three times a week
Dr. Richard Davenport, a consultant neurologist in Edinburgh, points out a strong connection between physical activity and brain health: “This impacts many levels: psychological, metabolic, and physiological.”
Solomon adds, “What benefits the blood vessels also benefits the brain. Many cases of dementia are due to vascular damage. Physical activity is beneficial for blood vessels because it keeps blood pressure low.”
He recommends engaging in activities that cause mild breathlessness for 20-30 minutes two to three times a week, such as running, swimming, or cycling.
Stand on one leg
Paget states, “There are studies showing that physical activity really helps extend brain lifespan. I advise people to incorporate single-leg exercises into their routines, as walking heavily relies on single-leg balance, which becomes increasingly crucial with age. Aerobic exercises release a brain-nourishing chemical that supports our neurons.”
She continues, “Combining this with resistance exercises that strengthen muscles is crucial, as many studies have found that increasing muscle mass reduces cognitive decline, even among those already diagnosed with dementia.”
Avoid butter
“Try to choose antioxidants and unsaturated fats, and avoid excessive consumption of red meat,” says Solomon.
Paget clarifies, “The best evidence for this is the Mediterranean diet,” adding, “I was born in Greece, so I may be biased.” Her advice is often straightforward regarding this issue: “When cooking, your primary source of fat should be olive oil instead of butter. That’s what I do… Additionally, consuming some omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish has strong evidence for brain health as well.”
She stresses the importance of vegetarians taking vitamin B12 supplements.
Drink water instead of coffee
Solomon comments, “We see people suffering from mild or chronic headaches… the things that reduce headache risk are quite similar. Regular exercise, maintaining hydration by drinking at least two liters of water a day, completely cutting out caffeine, not skipping meals, and sleeping at appropriate times. We typically tell people, ‘If you stick to this regimen for three months, your headaches will decrease’… and most of these things are also beneficial for your brain health in general.”
Pay attention to sleep
Paget indicates, “Good sleep begins at the start of the day, not at night when you’re stressed about not getting enough sleep. Try to wake up at the same time almost every day. If you need more sleep on the weekends, compensate with 60 to 90 minutes, or an extra sleep cycle. Don’t make your sleeping habits irregular, as your brain won’t know when to produce the right hormones.”
Set limits on phone use
While we are in a state of panic regarding technology’s impact on our brains, Paget points out that science doesn’t confirm our addiction to our phones. Nonetheless, she limits her Instagram browsing to twice a day and ignores all WhatsApp groups.
She adds, “I suggest people try to establish a routine or schedule for communication and disengagement that works for them. Distraction is a fundamental issue when it comes to technology. I prefer people to use technology intentionally, rather than resorting to it to avoid doing hard work, and using it to fill some gaps… when people use it as a means of avoidance, I think it can make them feel worse.”
Choose a ‘healthy obsession’
Dr. Richard Restak, a professor of neurology at George Washington University Hospital in the U.S., advises, “Seek out a wonderful healthy obsession, care about something… and put in a significant mental effort to learn more. You can tie this to social interaction, which is crucial.”
Address hearing and vision problems
Davenport notes, “Deafness has been identified as a significant risk factor for dementia. The same applies to vision. Anything that reduces your interaction with the outside world is likely harmful.” He adds that there is less evidence regarding the impacts of poor vision, “but if your vision deteriorates, you’ll stop driving, may limit your outings, and all these things start to cause social isolation… Keep your senses sharp; ensure your hearing and sight are functioning well.”
Davenport also mentions that “the sense of smell is often one of the early symptoms of some degenerative diseases. No one suggests that losing the sense of smell leads to these diseases. It might just be an early symptom, especially in Parkinson’s disease.”
