Brain Health
Maintaining a healthy brain is essential for preserving your ability to think, learn, remember, play, and communicate.1 Keeping your brain healthy is also important for reducing your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.2
Adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors like managing your high blood pressure, getting regular exercise, and eating a balanced diet can all help to boost your brain health. These lifestyle behaviors also protect you against chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, both known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Brain Health Tips
Good brain health is essential at every stage of life. It is never too early or too late to build healthy brain habits. You might already engage in healthy brain habits without knowing it. Reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias by taking care of your brain. Here are 6 healthy brain tips to explore:
Get moving – Find fun exercises that get your heart rate up.
Keep learning – Practice a new language or learn a new skill.
Eat a balanced diet – Minimize processed foods and add more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.
Take care of your heart – Manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure.
Care for your mental health – Find tools to help your stress and get help if needed.
Prioritize your sleep – Try and get at least 7-9 hours of sleep.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). What is a Healthy Brain? New Research Explores Perceptions of Cognitive Health Among Diverse Older Adults. https://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/perceptions_of_cog_hlth_factsheet.pdf
- Livingston, G., Huntley, J., Sommerlad, A., et al. (2020). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of The Lancet Commission. The Lancet, 396, (10248), 413–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30367-6
