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All of our brains inevitably shrink with age — a change that is most accelerated and profound in the nearly 7 million Americans currently living with dementia. While there isn’t a way to reverse this loss in brain volume, we can potentially curb it by prioritizing our mental and physical health.
Dr. Arjun Masurkar, a cognitive neurologist and dementia specialist at NYU Langone Health, shared with us four major ways to maintain a healthy mind as we age.
Be physically active
Following a sedentary lifestyle — and its associated physical, social and intellectual inactivity — is one of the worst things we can do for our brains.
When we perform aerobic exercise, our heart pumps more blood to our brain, carrying vital oxygen and nutrients to keep our brains healthy.
Regular aerobic exercise has also been shown to significantly lower the risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and sleep apnea — these conditions can affect the brain. Some good exercises for the brain include:
Walking
Running
Cycling
Swimming
Adopt a heart-healthy diet
The Mediterranean diet contains lean sources of protein and healthy fats, as well as anti-oxidants that can keep our brains healthy and fight against diseases like dementia. Some examples of foods that have brain health benefits include:
Fatty fish, such as salmon
Berries
Leafy greens
Legumes, such as beans and lentils
Walnuts
But consuming alcohol can have many negative effects on the brain, especially in people over the age of 65. Therefore, I recommend my patients consume a maximum of one alcoholic beverage a day, preferably none.
Socialize with others
An active social life is another way to keep our brains healthy with aging. When we interact with other people, it keeps our minds engaged and it maintains a schedule — even the act of socializing can release very important and healthy chemicals in our brains like serotonin and dopamine.
As far as brain health goes, social interactions that are in person may be more effective than those that are only online.
Also important is taking care of sensory problems. By correcting our vision and hearing, we can improve our interactions with others and potentially protect ourselves from dementia in the future.
Stimulate the mind
And fourth, we can stimulate our minds with activities like doing a crossword puzzle, learning a dance or engaging in an intellectual hobby.
Brain-stimulation pastimes that are also social, like card games, may be even more beneficial.
But don’t stay up all night! Good sleep helps us store our memories from the previous day in our long-term memory and also primes our brain to be active and efficient the next day.
In the long term, a good night’s sleep can help clear out the toxic proteins and inflammation that are at the core of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Dr. Arjun Masurkar is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He is a cognitive neurologist and dementia specialist.
