Lifestyle
Physical exercise is very good for your brain as well as your body. It doesn’t mean running a marathon, just getting your heart rate up a little can really help.
Moving your body is good for your heart, which then helps your brain too. Even if it’s just a little bit, getting active helps you think better and keeps your brain healthy. Try for 2-3 hours of gentle exercise each week, like walking, gentle jogging, yoga, or swimming. If this feels a bit steep, remember that raising your heart rate is the most important part – even 10 minutes of something which gets your heart going each day can help if you do it regularly. Just remember, doing something is always better than doing nothing.
Keeping healthy eating habits helps give your brain (and body) the fuel it needs to work best.
Eating the right foods to support your body and mind is essential. A good diet is strongly linked to healthy ageing. So eating the right kinds of foods is important for our thinking and memory and overall brain health.
What to include
- Healthy proteins – fish, poultry, tofu, eggs, nuts, pulses
- Whole grains – brown rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat, oatmeal
- Good fats – olive oil, avocado
- Fresh fruit and vegetables – leafy greens, colourful fruits and vegetables, berries
- Probiotics – kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha
- Key vitamins – B group vitamins, iron
Several different diet plans have been found to help prevent thinking and memory problems getting worse. They all recommend high protein and low-fat foods. Some foods like berries, nuts and seeds, fatty fish and leafy greens are especially helpful. Eating well always involves getting enough fuel with balance and variety.
What to limit
- High fat foods – Cheese, fried foods, red meat, butter, ready-meals, pastries and sweets
- Ultra-processed foods – these are foods that contain industrial ingredients and additives that you wouldn’t find in a kitchen.
Studies show these foods raise the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, depression and dementia. Foods that are almost certainly ultra-processed include:
- Fizzy drinks, sausages and burgers, chicken nuggets, packaged pizza and pies, and sweets and chocolate.
However, many other things we eat everyday and assume are healthy are also considered ultra-processed. These include:
- Most bread, breakfast cereals, flavoured yoghurt, fruit drinks, ‘diet’ products and even baby food.
The best way to tell if something is ultra-processed is to check the label for any ingredients you wouldn’t find in a well-stocked, but normal, kitchen.
A good night’s sleep is important for letting your brain process memories and new information properly, it also helps restore the brain by flushing out toxins which build up during waking hours.
The most important thing for good sleep is a regular sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, and skip daytime naps. Make sure you give yourself enough time in bed to get a full night’s sleep, including time to fall asleep and wake up. Avoid caffeine and stimulants after 3pm. Alcohol and drugs also interfere with a good night’s sleep and impact the brains ability to restore itself.
Talk to your doctor about help with any issues to do with your sleep, like insomnia or breathing difficulties while sleeping (sleep apnea or snoring).
For more tips on getting a better night’s sleep take a look at this NHS advice.
Techniques to reduce stress can allow your mind to relax more and help manage anxiety and difficult emotions.
Try to find what stresses you out the most and reduce it if you can. You can’t completely get rid of stress, but there are ways to manage it.
Deep breathing, meditation and mindfulness can calm both your body and your mind. Taking time to slow down and be present can give your mind a break and help it process things better. Cold water therapy can also help with stress and mood. Find what works best for you and your stressors.
For more tips on reducing and managing stress, take a look at this NHS advice.
Doing puzzles or games (like chess or sudoku) which require a bit of brain power are helpful and will keep your brain active.
Bring mentally challenging activities into your routine. Keep your mind active by engaging in different activities and practising your skills regularly. The saying “Use it or lose it” really applies here. There are plenty of options to choose from: play games like chess or scrabble with friends, learn a new language, solve crosswords, tackle a big Lego set, or enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles. Just do whatever sounds fun to you…
Alcohol and drugs affect the way you think and process information. It’s good to limit these things, and if this is something that you struggle with, talk to someone.
Cutting down on alcohol and drug use is really important if you want to protect and maintain good brain health. Alcohol and various drugs, both recreational and prescription, can really impact memory and speed up cognitive decline, making it essential to try to cut down or stop altogether for overall well-being.
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to memory impairment and cognitive deficits. Additionally, heavy drinking over time can shrink an area of the brain, called the hippocampus, which is important for memory formation and retrieval, further hampering brain health.
Recreational drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin can have profound negative effects on memory and overall brain function. These substances can disrupt the chemical systems in your brain and impair brain pathways involved in memory processing. This can lead to short-term memory lapses and a long-term decline in brain functioning. Chronic drug abuse can also contribute to the development of dementia-like symptoms, impairing judgement, attention, and executive function (e.g. planning, juggling tasks).
Even certain prescription medications, when misused or abused, can pose risks to memory and brain health. Benzodiazepines, commonly prescribed for anxiety and sleep disorders, can cause memory impairment and declining brain health, especially with long-term use or misuse. Opioids, used for pain management, can also affect your brain and memory, particularly when taken in high doses or for prolonged periods.
Limiting alcohol and drug intake is crucial for preserving brain health and reducing the risk of developing MCI or dementia. By avoiding excessive alcohol consumption and abstaining from illicit drugs, individuals can protect their brain health and maintain your brain’s abilities throughout life. For those already experiencing thinking and memory problems, reducing alcohol and drug use can slow down the progression of these conditions and potentially improve overall brain function.
If you are worried about your alcohol or drug consumption you should speak to a doctor or find a local charity organisation. There are lots of charities dedicated to helping people who want to stop or reduce their drinking or drug taking. For more advice and links to different supports visit Mind.
Doing activities you like and learning new skills helps keep your brain active. It could be anything: learning a language, dancing, joining a choir, crafts or puzzles.
General well being is very important for your brain. Do plenty of things that will make you happy and engage your brain in a positive way. Whether that’s seeing friends, watching films, eating good food or anything else – fill your life with the things you enjoy most.