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    7 Best Ways to Keep Your Memory Sharp

    Some tips on exercise, eating plans, and social activities

    illustration of two people walking with silo of person's head behind them along with trees, mushrooms, butterfly, and lady bug
    Taking a walk with a friend provides brain-boosting exercise and social engagement.
    Illustration: Michelle Pereira

    With age, our brains change just as much as our bodies do—even if the shift isn’t always as noticeable. Brain volume decreases, for example, and neural connections may weaken.

    These physical changes help explain the mental shifts that often come with aging, making it harder to recall a word or learn a new task. The risk of developing dementia—an umbrella term that includes Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and more—rises with age, too. But there are simple habits that can reduce your risk of memory loss and dementia—and slow cognitive decline.

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    More on Healthy Aging

    “Think about risks and protective factors on a seesaw,” says Joel Salinas, MD, MBA, a clinical assistant professor of neurology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. “Your risk on one side and things that protect you against that risk [on the other].” Even if you have a significant family history of dementia, for example, “there’s just so much you can do on the protective side of the seesaw to balance it out.”

    Nearly half of all dementia cases worldwide could be delayed or prevented altogether by making lifestyle and environmental changes, according to a 2024 report published in the journal The Lancet. These same practices—which include regular physical activity, a balanced diet, stress management, and good sleep—can help slow the cognitive symptoms that come with normal aging. And recent research highlights other ways you can reduce your risk of dementia and promote healthy brain aging.

    Key Activities

    Exercise regularly. Staying active enhances cognitive fitness in addition to physical fitness. People who engage in regular exercise have larger brain volumes than those who don’t. And a 2022 review of 58 studies found that physical activity was linked to a decreased risk of dementia.

    “Even mild to moderate activity has an effect,” says Lon Schneider, MD, a professor of psychiatry, neurology, and gerontology at the Keck School of Medicine and Leonard Davis School of Gerontology of the University of Southern California.

    “Of all my patients, those who have very structured and consistent exercise routines are the ones who tend to do the best,” Salinas says. Federal guidelines say older adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week—think speed walking or playing doubles pickleball.

    Keep your heart healthy. “Most dementia risk factors are also risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” Schneider says, “which leads to the common aphorism, ‘What’s good for the heart is good for the brain.’” Quitting smoking, losing weight, and managing your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol can help reduce your risk of both heart disease and dementia.

    Eat for your brain. As people age, healthy eating plans (high in plant-based foods and low in saturated fat)—such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets—have been linked to fewer cognitive lapses and a lower rate of Alzheimer’s disease.

    The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, developed more recently, was designed specifically to protect brain health (see “A Brain-Boosting Meal Plan,” below). It combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. A 2023 study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found that adherence to the MIND diet was associated with a lower risk of dementia in middle-aged and older adults. Other research suggests that—for thinking and memory—the MIND diet may be more beneficial than other diets.

    A Few More Helpful Steps

    Emerging research has revealed some factors in addition to exercise and diet that can make a real difference. This is “a tremendously active area of research right now,” says Susan Resnick, PhD, a senior investigator at the National Institute on Aging.

    Stay socially engaged. Social isolation and loneliness have been linked to cognitive decline and dementia. Research on “super-agers”—people ages 80 and older with the memory ability of those 30 years younger—points to a potential key factor that sets them apart from their peers: satisfying, high-quality relationships. Social contact benefits the brain by building cognitive reserve (see “Why Some People Don’t Get Dementia,” below), promoting healthy behavior, and reducing stress and inflammation.

    Connect to others by joining a group exercise class, staying in touch with loved ones, or volunteering.

    Protect your hearing and vision. Hearing loss often goes untreated. But a growing body of evidence shows that as the severity of hearing loss increases, the risk of developing dementia also rises. Similarly, older adults who experience vision loss have an almost 50 percent higher dementia risk. These declines may also mean less activity in certain brain areas—and often less social interaction and physical activity.

    Research suggests that older adults may be able to slow cognitive decline by using hearing aids. To protect your vision, have your eyes checked (annually for most), and treat problems promptly.

    Avoid air pollution. Inhaled particles of pollution can get deep into your lungs and your bloodstream, and even travel to the brain. Living in areas with considerable air pollution, such as next to highways, can increase your risk of developing dementia.

    While relocating isn’t always possible, you can check at airnow.gov to avoid spending too much time outside when pollution levels are high. And using air purifiers can also help improve your indoor air quality.

    Reduce alcohol intake. Recent research shows that any amount of drinking can harm your health, and heavier drinking is linked to a greater risk of dementia. In a recent study, researchers looked at brain scans from about 40,000 people and found that how often they consumed alcohol was one of the dementia risk factors with the biggest impact.

    Why Some People Don't Get Dementia

    The concept of cognitive reserve refers to the ability to maintain normal cognitive function, even when age-related brain changes resemble those of someone with dementia.

    “Thirty percent of cognitively normal people have enough plaques and tangles in their brain to meet the pathologist’s criteria for Alzheimer’s pathology,” says Susan Resnick, PhD. Until recently, scientists didn’t understand why.

    But recent research suggests that life experiences affect how parts of the brain interact, leaving some people better able to cope with brain disease or aging. Stimulating experiences such as an engaging occupation, frequent social interaction, and learning new skills may all be protective. Emerging research suggests that high cognitive reserve may even help protect against dementia in people who are genetically predisposed.

    A Brain-Boosting Meal Plan

    The MIND diet emphasizes plant-based foods, limits foods high in saturated fat, and adds items linked to brain health, such as berries. For recipes, see theofficialminddiet.com. Here’s a sample one-day meal plan.

    Breakfast: Whole-grain pancakes with sweet blueberry compote.

    Lunch: Arugula salad with radishes and pistachios, and garlicky herbed bruschetta.

    Dinner: Grilled chicken skewers; peach, corn, and tomato salad; and curried sweet potato salad.

    Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the November 2024 issue of Consumer Reports On Health.


    Meeri Kim

    Meeri Kim

    Meeri Kim is a freelance writer who covers health and science topics for Consumer Reports and The Washington Post. She lives in Pasadena, Calif., with her husband, daughter, and dog. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, running, and biking.