6 Ways To Improve Your Brain Health

You need your brain to function — and your brain needs you to function at its best.

The daily decisions you make can have an enormous impact on brain health and protect against dementia and cognitive decline. “You can influence this,” says psychiatrist Dylan Wint, MD.

The ‘Six Pillars of Brain Health’

The Six Pillars of Brain Health outlines simple steps to help make your brain healthier, more resilient and capable of fighting the effects of aging. These are scientifically demonstrated ways to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Here’s how to do it.

1. Get moving

When it comes to physical activity, what’s good for your body is also good for your brain.

“Exercise helps us keep our hearts and blood vessels healthier while better managing blood pressure and regulating blood sugar — and all of those things benefit the brain,” emphasizes Dr. Wint.

But it’s not just these indirect benefits. There’s evidence that exercise increases the activity of neurotransmitters (or chemical messengers) and trophic factors (substances that support cell growth and survival) in your brain that keep the mental operation humming along.

Research shows that the mental boost gained from regular exercise can reduce your risk of dementia or other conditions marked by cognitive decline. It can slow the progression of diseases affecting mental function, too.

So, how much exercise do you need to keep your mind in tip-top shape? Dr. Wint says 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity exercise is a good target.

And any form of physical activity can do the job. Take a walk through your neighborhood or hop on a bike and pedal around town, for instance. Even something like dancing can improve cerebral function.

“There are different ways to get your 150 minutes,” he notes, “but the key to all of them is to get moving.”

2. Seek out mental challenges

The phrase “use it or lose it” applies to mental muscle.

Continually challenging your brain promotes new cell growth while decreasing the likelihood of regression. Essentially, your noggin is better able to thrive if you keep asking it to learn and adapt.

“Avoiding new ideas or concepts puts your brain in a mindset where it’s no longer actively learning,” says Dr. Wint. “That can eventually lead to regression, which is where the danger comes in.”

Daily crossword puzzles or other knowledge-based games can certainly help keep your grey matter strong. But more than that, Dr. Wint recommends branching out into new activities. That could mean:

• Cooking a new (and complicated) dish
• Learning to play a musical instrument
• Signing up for a class

“Your brain is meant to explore,” he says, “so expose it to new things.”

3. Eat smartly

Food is fuel for your mind, and better fuel brings better results.

Filling your belly with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats (like fish) can improve mental performance and protect against decline. “The closer your food is to nature, the more likely it is to be good for your brain,” Dr. Wint says.

Research shows that following the MIND diet can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The MIND diet blends aspects of the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet, which also guard against those conditions.

So, what happens when you chow down a less-than-stellar diet heavy with ultra-processed foods and saturated fats? It can lead to oxidative stress that damages cells and makes brain disorders more likely.

“Oxidative stress seems to be an important player in the initiation of Alzheimer’s disease as well as its rate of progression — and that’s true of other degenerative conditions as well,” he explains.

4. Be social

Friends and an active social life can help you maintain your upstairs function as you age.

That’s because when you communicate with others, you challenge your mind to interpret verbal and visual cues and respond accordingly. It’s like putting your mind through a cross-training workout.

“Conversation is a really good brain exercise,” says Dr. Wint. “The effects of social activity and social engagement are truly profound.”

Social isolation, on the other hand, can be a driving force behind cognitive decline. It’s considered one of the modifiable risk factors to reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

So, schedule that long-planned lunch with a friend or get involved with a group or club to meet new people. Even getting a pet as a companion can bring a mental lift.

5. Get enough sleep

Your brain doesn’t shut down while you sleep. In fact, in some ways it’s busier than during the day.

“There’s a different mode our brains go into while we rest,” explains Dr. Wint. “It performs many activities that can’t be done while we’re awake. It’s doing work that centers on maintenance so you’re ready to go the next day.”

The “maintenance” that comes with sleep can help your brain fend off dementia and age-related decline. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night to be at their best physically and mentally.

Research shows that consistently sleeping for fewer than five hours a night doubles your risk of dementia. Difficulty falling asleep when your head hits the pillow also elevates your risk.

“It’s not just the amount of sleep either. It’s the quality of it,” he emphasizes. “If you’re in bed for eight hours but wake up feeling crummy, that’s a sign that you’re not getting the type of sleep your body and mind need.”

If you’re having difficulty sleeping, try these tips to get the ZZZs you need.

6. Take control of your health

Chronic health conditions aren’t just tough on your body. They can also be a drain on your brain.

Many common medical conditions left untreated can accelerate dementia and mental decline, says Dr. Wint. That’s why it’s important to embrace preventive health measures to address issues like:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia)
• Overweight and obesity
• Depression
• Hearing loss

Not smoking also reduces your chances of developing Alzheimer’s, stresses Dr. Wint. Ditto for minimizing alcohol consumption.

“It’s impossible to separate the brain from the body when it comes to your health,” he continues. “When you start to focus on ways to optimize your health, when you embrace healthy habits, we see a carryover effect.”

Final thoughts

Making healthy decisions based on the Six Pillars of Brain Health can protect against dementia or other cognitive declines. “While there’s no absolute 100% way to prevent degenerative brain disease, you can substantially reduce your risk with lifestyle habits,” encourages Dr. Wint.

And even if you start to see a decline, that drop-off is typically less severe if you have taken steps to protect your brain.

Small lifestyle changes CAN make a difference, suggests Dr. Wint.

“We’re not all tumbling toward cognitive decline, but each day, we make decisions that affect brain health,” he says. “Over the long haul, it’s better to make decisions that contribute to brain health rather than detract from it.”