Brain Health: Adult Brain Health (Ages 25–64)
Strategies for maintaining brain health
Your brain benefits from good physical health and engagement in a variety of stimulating mental and social activities. These six strategies can assist in maintaining a healthy brain throughout your life.
The fuel for your body is the fuel for your brain. The MIND Diet (PDF) emphasizes eating fish, chicken, leafy greens, beans, nuts, berries, olive oil, and whole grains. Foods to avoid include red meat, fried food, sweet pastries, candy, butter, and cheese.
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Research has shown that high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol cause an increased risk for developing dementia. It is important to work with your doctor to monitor these areas throughout your adult life and take steps to keep blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol within healthy levels.
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The system of blood vessels that move blood through your body have an important role in your brain. Research shows that short bursts of physical activity can boost brain functions such as memory and thinking skills. Regular physical activity not only improves your physical and mental health, but it also improves brain health. Participating regularly in moderate to vigorous intensity activities such as brisk walking, swimming, dancing, and even doing household chores can reduce your risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
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Good social connections are associated with slower cognitive decline. Living with somebody, regularly seeing friends, or simply leaving home for tasks or social events are examples of activities that help maintain our brain health. Additionally, playing social games, such as card games and board games, and participating in physical and community activities, strengthen social connections that are beneficial to brain health.
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Managing the stress of daily life can be overwhelming. Ignoring stress or using unhealthy ways to deal with stress can be harmful to your brain health. Learning about healthy ways to manage stress that you enjoy doing is an important way to support your brain health.
Sleep is also essential to maintaining brain health. When you're tired, it's harder to concentrate and react quickly, and without sleep, you can't form the pathways in your brain that help you learn and create new memories.
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Managing stress in unhealthy ways can include use of alcohol, tobacco, or other substances. Research has shown that alcohol and tobacco use are risk factors for developing dementia, so avoiding alcohol and tobacco is beneficial to your long-term brain health.
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- PMC—Cognitive Effects of Nicotine: Recent Progress
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism—Alcohol and the Brain: An Overview
The word "tobacco" on this page refers to commercial tobacco, not traditional Native American tobacco.
