Keep your memory sharp: 5 things that actually make a difference
Your brain shrinks as you age, names slip away and concentration takes more effort. But memory loss is not inevitable: a handful of lifestyle choices have solid evidence behind them for slowing the process down, and one stands out clearly above the rest.
Around the age of 50, names start taking longer to surface, keys go missing more often and juggling tasks becomes harder work. There is a biological explanation: the brain shrinks gradually, connections between cells grow less efficient and low-grade inflammation increases. Yet in people who still have the memory of a fifty-year-old when they reach eighty, researchers consistently see the same lifestyle patterns. On Brain & Memory you can read more about how this works; below are the five pieces of advice with the strongest evidence behind them.
Exercise is the most powerful brain protector you have
Of all lifestyle choices, exercise has by far the strongest evidence. Analyses covering more than 250,000 people show small to moderate positive effects on memory, planning skills and general cognition. The best-supported approach is 45 to 60 minutes of moderate exertion per session, a few times a week. Aerobic training improves overall cognition the most, strength training specifically helps with planning and focus, and tai chi or yoga appear to support memory. In people with early-stage forgetfulness, strength training also shows lasting protective effects on the brain. The payoff is greatest when you start early: in people with advanced symptoms, the effect has not been demonstrated in large studies. Start now, before problems appear.
Sleep literally flushes waste from your brain
During deep sleep, cerebrospinal fluid flows through the brain and carries away protein waste that has built up during the day. If you consistently sleep too little or too lightly, that waste accumulates – and the consequences show up in your memory. Enough deep sleep ranks alongside diet and cognitive training at the top of the list of factors with the strongest evidence. In practice that means seven to nine hours a night, regular sleep times and a sleep environment free from screen light in the hour before bed. No supplement does what a good night's sleep does.
The MIND diet: leafy greens and omega-3 as brain allies
The MIND diet combines the Mediterranean eating pattern with a specific focus on brain-friendly foods: leafy greens, berries, nuts, legumes, fish and olive oil, and as little sugar, red meat and fried food as possible. People who follow this pattern for years have on average a lower risk of cognitive decline. These are associations established in people followed over many years, and they are broad and consistent. Omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish are the most studied component: they support the cell membranes of brain cells. Sugar works in the opposite direction, accelerating the inflammatory processes that drive brain aging.
Training your brain works – if you take it seriously
Staying cognitively active – through reading, playing an instrument, chess or learning a new language – is consistently associated with better memory in later life. Targeted cognitive training has shown effects in research on the specific skills being trained. What matters is genuine mental effort: activities that challenge you and that are new to you. Routine activities you carry out entirely on autopilot do not have this effect. Staying mentally active works best as a complement to exercise and a healthy diet, not as a substitute for them.
Blood pressure and blood sugar are underestimated risk factors
High blood pressure measurably accelerates brain shrinkage, particularly in the regions responsible for memory and planning. The same is true of chronically elevated blood sugar. A third of all dementia cases are linked to modifiable factors, and blood pressure and blood sugar rank high on that list. That makes them concrete targets: keeping your blood pressure under control protects your brain just as effectively as many of the measures described above. The good news is that exercise and the MIND diet improve both blood pressure and blood sugar at the same time.
Brain supplements: thin evidence, heavy marketing
Ginkgo biloba, curcumin, phosphatidylserine and most other brain supplements have not been studied enough to recommend. Herbal supplements show no convincing results in well-designed trials in humans. The same goes for spermidine and products that target the brain's waste-clearance system: interesting as a research direction, but not yet translatable into concrete advice. The combination of exercise, good sleep and the MIND diet has more evidence behind it than any supplement currently on the market. Skip that expense and put the money toward a gym membership.