When it comes to your current wellness routine, taking care of your brain probably isn’t as high up on the list as, say, your skin or core strength. But it should be.
The good news is that the habits that support your cognitive health are probably already on your radar for other reasons, so you don’t have to add a whole new regimen to your already overflowing to-do list. The slightly less good news is that no magic pill will boost your brain power—at least not right now with our current medical knowledge, Claudia Muñoz, MD, MPH, a board-certified neurologist and neurohospitalist, tells SELF.
Although we may not have a cure for Alzheimer’s or dementia just yet, Dr. Muñoz notes there are many science-backed lifestyle habits that experts swear by to preserve their cognitive health. To find out exactly what we should be prioritizing to keep our brains and memory sharp, we asked neurologists for the healthy habits they incorporate into their own lives. Here’s what they said.
1. They make time for movement.
“For me, the absolute number one habit is staying physically active,” says Dr. Muñoz. It might sound counterintuitive to focus on your body when you’re trying to take care of your mind, but this habit was at the top of the list for every expert we spoke with.
That’s because physical activity helps to promote neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections, Ayushi Chugh, MD, FAAN, a clinical associate professor of neurology at Barrow Neurological Institute, tells SELF. She points to a 2011 article from Mayo Clinic Proceedings compiling a breadth of research showing that regular aerobic exercise can protect against cognitive impairment and lower the risk of dementia.
And cardio isn’t the only option for boosting that sweet neuroplasticity. “Strength training, because it involves weights and coordination, also helps to sprout a lot of connections,” Dr. Chugh says.
If you’re able, aiming for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise is recommended for both overall and brain health, Myrna Cardiel, MD, a general neurologist at NYU Langone Neurology Associates, tells SELF. To help keep her and her family’s activity levels up, she recently got them memberships to the same gym, where they can all take fitness classes that interest them.
2. They challenge their minds.
If you’re wondering whether or not neurologists actually put any stock in brain games like sudoku or crossword puzzles, they do. But Dr. Chugh is quick to point out that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on the latest brain-boosting trend. “I tell my patients you can go to your local dollar store and get the crosswords. It doesn’t have to be expensive,” she says. “And apart from structured games, it can be real-life activities such as learning a new language, learning a new recipe, or trying a simple thing like brushing your teeth with the opposite hand.”
For Dr. Cardiel, challenging her brain these days looks like picking up an instrument she hasn’t played in decades. Similarly, Dr. Muñoz has her mother learning a new language on Duolingo. The point is trying to incorporate some aspect of learning and novelty into your days so that your brain gets challenged on the regular.
“If you’ve ever studied for six hours in a row, you are beat,” says Dr. Muñoz. “Your brain has actually been processing that whole time. It’s this pretty sizable organ, and it’s building connections. It’s using energy to form new tracks.”
3. They prioritize the proper nutrients.
“I’m not going to lie and say I don’t enjoy my treats,” says Dr. Muñoz. “But what I advocate for is lots of fruits and vegetables, lots of whole grains, and lean meats.” That’s because research shows that a healthy, nutrient-rich diet is associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.
While there’s no particular diet that’s right for everyone, a few brain-healthy staples that came up time and again in our interviews included antioxidant-rich produce like blueberries and leafy greens, anti-inflammatory foods like olive oil, and foods packed with omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds.
Just don’t stress yourself out trying to eat “perfectly” all the time. “I don’t demonize any foods because I find that also leads to problems,” says Dr. Muñoz. “If you don’t like what you’re eating, that's not a good existence, and you’re not going to stick with it.”
Recently, Dr. Cardiel took a good, hard look at her nutrition habits—and made some tweaks with her brain health in mind. “I definitely started eating more vegetables and basically stopped eating out weekly.” That said, she admits that making the most of your food at home takes more time and preparation, so she’s a big fan of meal prep: grilling poultry on the weekends and steaming some fresh or frozen veggies to pair with it throughout the week. She also makes overnight oats before bed, which she tops with fresh berries in the morning for a quick breakfast.
4. They prioritize sleep.
Outside of maybe med school, you’re unlikely to catch a neurologist pulling an all-nighter. “Sleep is key,” says Dr. Chugh. “Think of your brain as a smartphone. If you forget to charge your smartphone the night before, it’s going to glitch or it’s going to die down in the middle of the day. It’s not going to be efficient.”
We all know that one bad night’s sleep can screw with your brain power the following day, but experts warn that an overall poor sleep quality may also be associated with cognitive decline as you get older. “Over time, we find that people who don’t get enough quality sleep are more at risk for developing neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia,” says Dr. Muñoz. In fact, a 2021 study in the journal Nature Communications found that consistently not getting enough sleep in your 50s, 60s, and 70s is linked to a 30% increased risk of dementia.
Sleep is when a lot of regeneration happens, says Dr. Chugh. It’s also the time when our brains consolidate the information we learned throughout the day into our long-term memory, she says. To that end, she suggests turning your bedroom into a cool, dark, quiet, and device-free oasis at night and aiming for seven to eight hours of shut-eye.
5. They spend time with their people.
Social connections are good for the soul, but they’re also pretty vital for your brain—especially as we age. This is something we unfortunately saw the effects of during the pandemic, as many elderly individuals weren’t able to keep up their social routines or even spend time with their loved ones, Dr. Cardiel says. One systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2023 found that older adults both with and without dementia experienced worsening cognitive functioning during social isolation.
“Social exercise is really important,” Dr. Muñoz notes. Not just for older adults but for all of us—we are, after all, a social species. “The interaction is what the brain wants,” explains Dr. Chugh. “The back and forth. That’s what helps to keep those neurons going.”
So consider this an excuse to make plans with a pal this weekend as part of your cognitive self-care. “Getting out there, doing meetups, having coffee with a friend, reaching out to your high school buddy for Zooms, volunteering, joining the garden club,” Dr. Muñoz says. “It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it gets you out and involved in some sort of community.”
6. They keep up with their checkups.
Speaking of meaningful relationships, there’s one that seems especially important to neurologists: the partnership between you and a trusted health care provider.
For starters, managing chronic conditions is crucial when it comes to protecting your brain, so make sure you’re getting your regular checkups to screen for—and treat—things like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes, says Dr. Chugh. “High blood pressure is the number one silent force behind memory loss.” That’s because high blood pressure can damage and narrow your blood vessels over time, which can restrict blood flow to the brain, according to the American Academy of Neurology.
Your primary care provider can also test you for any deficiencies that might warrant a supplement, says Dr. Muñoz, who notes that vitamin B12 and folate are ones to keep an eye on for brain health. But if you don’t have any specific nutrient deficiencies, you probably don’t need those “brain-boosting” vitamins you saw on Instagram.
Finally, they can be your accountability buddy and sounding board when it comes to building your own habits for brain health—and sticking with them. “To have these concepts and implement them for the rest of your life, it makes a difference,” says Dr. Muñoz. “Like pennies in a bank after 20 years, you have a small fortune.”
Related:
- 7 Ways to Protect Your Brain Health as You Age
- I’m a Neurologist. Here’s the One Thing I Do Every Day for My Long-Term Brain Health
- 6 Things to Do in Your 30s to Improve Your Memory for the Long Haul
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