Getting older brings plenty of changes, and occasionally forgetting a name, misplacing your keys, or taking longer to recall a word can happen with normal aging.
But growing older does not mean you have to stop taking care of your memory and thinking skills.
In fact, many of the same everyday habits that support your heart and overall health may also support your brain.
The World Health Organization says dementia is not an inevitable consequence of aging. Its updated 2026 guidance emphasizes several potentially modifiable factors associated with cognitive decline and dementia, including physical inactivity, tobacco use, social isolation, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health and lifestyle factors.
While no lifestyle change can guarantee that you will avoid dementia or memory problems, there are practical steps you can take to support cognitive health as you age.
Here are 10 worth considering.
1. Make Regular Exercise a Priority
One of the best things you can do for your brain may also be one of the best things you can do for your heart: keep moving.
Physical activity can support memory, thinking, mood, cardiovascular health, balance, and independence. The National Institute on Aging notes that federal guidelines recommend adults get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week.
You don’t necessarily need a gym membership or complicated workout routine. Depending on your health and physical abilities, activities could include:
- Brisk walking
- Swimming
- Gardening
- Dancing
- Cycling
- Household chores
- Strength exercises
If you have been inactive for a long time or have a medical condition that could affect your ability to exercise safely, talk with your health care provider before beginning a vigorous new exercise program.
2. Challenge Your Brain With Something New
Your brain benefits from being used.
Reading, learning new skills, taking classes, playing music, doing puzzles, studying a language, or trying a new hobby can provide mental stimulation.
The key may be doing more than simply repeating activities that have become effortless. Try occasionally choosing something that requires concentration, problem-solving, or learning.
For example, you could learn photography, try a new recipe, take up woodworking, learn to play an instrument, or join a class at your local library or community center.
The National Institute on Aging says cognitive training has shown benefits for certain thinking abilities in older adults, although evidence for many commercially marketed “brain-training” games remains limited.
In other words, you don’t necessarily need to spend money on an app. Simply continuing to learn can be a valuable part of healthy aging.
3. Protect Your Sleep
Sleep is easy to overlook, but it plays an important role in overall health and daily brain function.
The National Institute on Aging recommends that older adults generally aim for about seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
A consistent routine can help. Consider going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time each day, keeping your bedroom comfortable, and limiting habits that interfere with a good night’s rest.
Persistent sleep problems deserve attention. If you regularly struggle to sleep, wake repeatedly during the night, experience excessive daytime sleepiness, or have symptoms such as loud snoring or gasping during sleep, consider discussing them with a health care professional.
4. Eat With Your Heart — and Brain — in Mind
There isn’t a single “miracle food” that keeps the brain young.
A better strategy is to focus on your overall eating pattern.
The National Institute on Aging recommends choosing nutrient-dense foods that are high in vitamins and fiber while limiting animal fats. WHO’s dementia risk-reduction guidance also recommends healthy dietary patterns as part of protecting long-term health.
That can mean eating more:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Beans and legumes
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds
- Fish
- Other minimally processed foods
At the same time, it may help to limit foods high in added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat.
Be skeptical of supplements marketed as shortcuts to a “younger brain.” WHO’s updated guidance does not recommend vitamin B, vitamin E, omega-3, or multivitamin/mineral supplements specifically for reducing cognitive decline or dementia risk when a person does not have a diagnosed deficiency.
5. Keep Your Blood Pressure Under Control
Brain health and heart health are closely connected.
High blood pressure can damage blood vessels and is associated with a greater risk of stroke and cognitive problems. The CDC identifies managing blood pressure as an important part of reducing dementia risk.
That makes routine blood pressure checks especially important as you get older.
If you have hypertension, follow the treatment plan recommended by your health care provider. That could involve changes in diet and physical activity along with prescribed medication.
Don’t stop taking blood pressure medicine because your numbers improve unless your doctor tells you to. Improved readings may mean the treatment is doing its job.
6. Stay Socially Connected
A phone call with an old friend may be doing more than brightening your afternoon.
Social interaction keeps you communicating, listening, remembering, and responding to other people. It can also help reduce loneliness and isolation.
The National Institute on Aging reports that greater social engagement has been associated with better cognitive health among older adults. WHO also identifies social isolation as a modifiable factor associated with dementia risk.
Consider making social activity a regular part of your schedule.
Call family members. Meet a friend for coffee. Attend religious or community gatherings. Volunteer. Join a walking group, book club, veterans organization, senior center, or hobby group.
You don’t need dozens of friends. Maintaining meaningful connections with people you enjoy can be a worthwhile investment in healthy aging.
7. Pay Attention to Your Hearing
Hearing loss is sometimes dismissed as an unavoidable inconvenience of getting older, but it deserves attention.
The CDC lists hearing loss among known dementia risk factors. Researchers are still studying exactly why the two are connected, but possible explanations include increased mental effort required to understand conversations and the social isolation that can accompany untreated hearing problems.
If you’re constantly asking people to repeat themselves, turning the television louder, or struggling to follow conversations in restaurants or other noisy environments, consider having your hearing checked.
Hearing aids and other treatments may make communication easier and help people remain socially engaged.
8. Take Diabetes, Cholesterol, and Other Health Conditions Seriously
Taking care of your body is an important part of taking care of your brain.
The National Institute on Aging recommends managing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and high cholesterol as part of supporting cognitive health.
WHO’s updated recommendations similarly emphasize management of cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol as part of dementia risk reduction.
Keep up with routine medical appointments and recommended screenings, and take medications as directed.
It is also worth periodically reviewing your medications with a doctor or pharmacist. Some medicines or combinations of medicines may affect alertness, memory, balance, or sleep, particularly in older adults.
9. Don’t Smoke, and Be Careful With Alcohol
Smoking doesn’t just affect the lungs.
Tobacco use is among the modifiable factors associated with dementia risk, and WHO recommends stopping tobacco use as part of reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
Alcohol also deserves caution.
Heavy or harmful alcohol use can negatively affect health, and WHO includes reducing harmful alcohol consumption among its dementia risk-reduction recommendations.
If you smoke, quitting can benefit your health at virtually any age. Your doctor can also help you find evidence-based options for quitting.
10. Don’t Ignore Significant Changes in Memory or Thinking
Occasionally forgetting where you left your glasses is one thing. Consistently becoming confused, struggling with familiar activities, or experiencing memory problems that interfere with everyday life is different.
Dementia is not considered a normal or inevitable part of aging.
Consider talking with a health care professional if you or a family member notices significant or worsening changes involving memory, language, judgment, orientation, personality, or the ability to perform familiar daily activities.
There are many possible causes of cognitive symptoms, and not all of them are dementia. Getting evaluated can help identify what is happening and determine whether treatment or additional testing is appropriate.
Small Habits Can Add Up Over Time
Keeping your brain healthy as you get older isn’t about finding one miracle food, supplement, puzzle, or exercise.
It is about taking care of your whole body.
Regular physical activity, nutritious food, adequate sleep, social interaction, mental stimulation, good hearing care, avoiding tobacco, and managing conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes can all form part of a brain-healthy lifestyle.
And you don’t have to change everything overnight.
Start with something manageable. Take a daily walk. Call an old friend. Schedule the checkup you’ve been postponing. Pick up a book instead of spending another hour in front of the television. Learn something you’ve always wanted to learn.
Healthy aging is built through habits repeated over months and years. Taking care of your brain today may help support your memory, independence, and quality of life in the years ahead.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Talk with a qualified health care professional about questions or concerns regarding your health.
