In a piece for the Wall Street Journal, Alex Janin reports on how changes in your lifestyle can slow down the aging of your brain. Stunningly, a healthy diet, exercising and destressing, can all keep your brain from aging as quickly as it otherwise would.
Indeed, one big 2024 Preventive Medicine Research Institute study found that people who modify their behaviors to lead a healthy lifestyle can see improvements in their brain function and even reverse early-stage Alzheimer’s. Improvements can be detected in as few as four and a half months.
In a small study, those patients who changed their behaviors either improved or maintained their brain function. More than seven in 10 improved their conditions. But, none of the patients who did not modify their behavior improved and nearly seven in 10 deteriorated.
Today, people are living longer, but their health is not keeping up with them as they age. They are developing dementia and other conditions that come with growing old. Some experts believe that the sooner people make behavior changes, the more likely it is that they will delay the aging of their brains.
Exercise is as critical as a healthy diet to keeping your brain young. A different 2024 study of healthy people showed that a small amount of exercise a week promotes a larger brain size and a healthier brain. Sleeping at least seven hours a day is also important.
The science of measuring brain health and age is developing quickly. MRI scans can actually determine the speed at which your brain is aging as compared to your age.
What can you do to slow down the aging of your brain?
- Eat healthy.
- Avoid processed foods, fats and sugars, including diet sweeteners.
- Exercise.
- Spend at least 30 minutes each day getting your heart rate up and lift weights a few times each week to build strength.
- Manage stress. Spend 60 minutes each day stretching, breathing, meditating and otherwise
- Emotional support. Participate a few times a week in a support group.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- Avoid brain-boosting supplements
- Tips for improving your memory
- Tips for a healthy brain
- How to boost your brainpower
- Exercise may help memory and attention
