Keeping your brain healthy

Many people worry about losing their memory as they get older. The hopeful news is that everyday habits seem to matter. A major 2024 expert report found that nearly half of dementia cases worldwide are linked to 14 risk factors that people and communities may be able to change.¹

This page turns that research into a simple plan you can follow each day, each week and each year. It also explains what is still unproven, and when a memory change is a reason to see a doctor.

What the research shows

In 2024, a group of experts writing for the medical journal The Lancet updated its list of dementia risk factors. The list now has 14 items.¹ Each one links to a page where you can learn more.

The biggest single factors were hearing loss and high LDL cholesterol. Each was linked to about 7 in 100 dementia cases. Less schooling and social isolation in later life were each linked to about 5 in 100.¹

These numbers describe whole populations. Healthy habits cannot promise that any one person will avoid dementia.¹ Some risks, like age and genes, cannot be changed at all. See genes and dementia.

The U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) says the same thing in a careful way. An expert review in 2017 found the evidence for blood pressure control, exercise and brain training to be encouraging but not yet conclusive.² Researchers are still testing sleep, diet and hearing treatment.²

Your daily brain health plan

You do not need to do everything at once. Pick one or two steps, make them a habit, then add more.

1. Move for about 30 minutes. Brisk walking, dancing, swimming or gardening all count. U.S. guidelines for people 65 and older suggest 150 minutes a week, such as 30 minutes on 5 days.⁴ Short walks add up.
2. Talk with someone. Call a friend, eat lunch with a neighbor, or join a class or faith group. See ways to feel more connected and purpose, meaning and well-being. Staying connected supports well-being, and studies link social activities with a lower risk of memory problems.²
3. Use your mind in a new way. Learn a song, try a recipe, read and discuss a book, or take up a hobby. New and challenging tasks are better than doing the same puzzle every day.
4. Eat mostly plants. Fill much of your plate with vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains. The MIND diet used in the U.S. POINTER trial focuses on leafy greens, berries, nuts, whole grains, olive oil and fish.³
5. Take your medicines as prescribed. Keeping blood pressure and blood sugar under control helps protect the brain.⁵ If side effects bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before changing anything.
6. Wear your hearing aids and glasses. If you have them, use them all day. Experts urge treating both hearing loss and vision problems.^1,5
7. Protect your sleep. Adults 65 and older need about 7 to 8 hours a night. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day.⁶
8. Go easy on alcohol, and do not smoke. Older bodies react more strongly to alcohol, and it can mix badly with many medicines.⁷ If you smoke, quitting is one of the steps the CDC advises.⁵

Each week: build strength and balance

On at least 2 days a week, do exercises that work your muscles, such as lifting light weights, using bands, or standing up from a chair several times.⁴ Add balance practice too, like walking heel to toe.⁴ Strong legs and good balance help prevent falls and the head injuries they can cause.

Tai chi mixes movement, balance and calm breathing. Many older adults enjoy it in a group. See tai chi and strength and balance exercises.

If a health problem makes exercise hard, do what you can. Some activity is better than none.⁴

Each year: checkups that protect your brain

Several brain risks are silent. You only find them with a checkup.

• Medicare yearly wellness visit. After your first 12 months on Part B, Medicare covers this visit once a year. You pay nothing if your provider accepts Medicare's approved amount.¹¹ It includes a short check of memory and thinking. If your provider sees signs of a problem, Medicare covers a longer visit to look for dementia, depression, anxiety or delirium.¹¹
• Blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. Ask what your numbers are and what your goals should be. Experts advise checking and treating high LDL cholesterol from about age 40.^1,5
• Hearing and vision tests. Hearing loss comes on slowly, so many people do not notice it. Ask for a hearing test if family members say you turn up the TV or miss words.
• A medicine review. Some common medicines, including some sleep aids and allergy pills, can cloud thinking. Bring all your pills, vitamins and supplements to one visit. See medicines that can affect mood and memory.
• A mood check. Depression is one of the 14 risk factors, and it can be treated.¹ See what Medicare covers for mental health.

What helps most, and how sure we are

Be careful with products that promise to protect your memory. Supplements can interact with prescription medicines. Show any product to your pharmacist before you try it. For new drugs being tested, see new treatments being tested.

Normal aging or something more?

Some changes are normal as we age. It may take longer to learn new things. You may misplace your glasses now and then or forget to pay a bill once.¹⁰

Memory problems that make daily life hard are not normal aging. See a doctor if you or someone close to you:¹⁰

• Asks the same questions again and again
• Gets lost in places they know well
• Has trouble following directions or a recipe
• Is more confused about time, people or places
• Stops taking care of themselves, such as skipping meals or bathing

Many causes of memory trouble can be treated. These include medicine side effects, low vitamin B12, thyroid problems, depression, sleep problems and too much alcohol.¹⁰ See treatable conditions that look like dementia, mild cognitive impairment and getting a dementia diagnosis.

Common questions

Is it too late to start in my 70s or 80s?

No. The experts behind the 2024 report say it is never too late to act.¹ U.S. activity guidelines are written for people 65 and older, and they say any activity is better than none.⁴

My parent had Alzheimer's. Will healthy habits still help me?

For most people, family history raises risk but does not decide the future. In U.S. POINTER, people improved with healthy habits whether or not they carried the APOE e4 gene, which raises Alzheimer's risk.³ See genes and dementia.

Do I need a special diet or expensive foods?

No. The MIND diet is built on everyday foods like leafy greens, berries, nuts, whole grains, olive oil and fish.³ Frozen vegetables, frozen berries, oats, beans and canned fish are low-cost ways to eat this way.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.