Brain health for adults
Looking after your brain is important, whatever your age. Your lifestyle — how you eat, move, sleep and connect with others — can shape how sharp your mind stays as you get older. Close to half of cases of dementia mate wareware could be delayed or prevented by simple lifestyle changes. This page lets you know how.
When to think about brain health
The time to think about brain health is now.
A lifestyle that is healthy for your brain should begin as early as possible, but you can still benefit if you start later in life — it is never too early and never too late. When you make changes, it helps if they are:
- suited to your age and stage of life
- enjoyable and easy to maintain
- made together with other people
- long term.
Sometimes making changes can be a big step. To make it easier, start small and work your way towards where you need to be over time.
Why brain health is worth caring about
Before you put in the effort to change your lifestyle, it helps to know whether it really makes a difference. Large studies have shown it does — read more about them below.
The FINGER trial in Finland studied 1,260 adults aged 60 to 77. These were people who were at higher risk of developing dementia mate wareware.
Over 2 years, some of these people took part in a healthy lifestyle programme, while others did not. The programme included:
- eating nutritious food
- regular physical activity
- brain training
- heart health management.
The people who took part in the programme improved their overall thinking and memory by 25% more than those who did not. The brain benefits were even greater in specific areas like processing speed (up by 150%), and planning and focus (up by 83%).
The FINGER model is based on the results from the FINGER study. The model shows simultaneous lifestyle measures in 5 areas can help prevent and delay loss of brain health and brain function.
The FINGER model — Brain Health Instituteexternal link
Another large study on brain health was published in The Lancet, a leading medical journal. It estimated that nearly half of cases of dementia mate wareware worldwide could potentially be delayed or prevented by addressing 14 modifiable risk factors.
The risk factors span across:
- early life (like low education level)
- mid life (like high blood cholesterol level and physical inactivity)
- later life (like uncorrected hearing and vision loss, and social isolation).
The Lancet Commission — Alzheimer's Disease Internationalexternal link
Brain health basics
Building a healthy body, having a healthy mind and staying connected is your pathway to a healthy brain.
There are quite a few things you can do on your journey to wellness. You may look at each one and think it is not going to help much, but lots of little things add up to make a big difference.
The best things for brain health
The best things you can do for your brain include:
Healthy body
- Take preventive care of your hearing and eyesight.
- Have regular check ups with your healthcare provider for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Be physically active.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Work towards giving up smoking, or do not start in the first place.
- Limit alcohol use.
- Avoid head injury and concussion.
Stay connected
- Strong relationships protect your brain.
- Social isolation is associated with dementia mate wareware.
Healthy mind and spirit
- Seek help if you feel depressed or anxious.
- Keep learning and do things that stimulate your brain.
- Take care of your spiritual wellbeing.
- Get 6 to 10 hours of sleep a night.
- Practice stress-reduction techniques.
Tackle as many as possible
The best outcomes for your brain health are if you try to work on as many of these as you can.
To make things a little easier, many of the important things you can do to look after your brain are the same as the ones to look after your general health, in particular your heart health.
All brains change with age
Minor changes
As you get older you may notice some changes with:
- short-term memory
- finding the right words
- a slowing down with problem solving, decision making or both.
Minor changes are a normal part of ageing and do not usually affect daily life too much. You may find using calendars or phone reminders help. Healthify has some other tips.
Tips for managing memory loss — Healthifyexternal link
Mild cognitive impairment
Some changes might be described as a mild cognitive impairment, including those that are:
- more than expected for your age
- not so easily adapted to
- starting to affect your daily life.
These changes can sometimes be due to treatable conditions, such as:
- stress and anxiety
- sleep problems
- menopause
- poor physical health
- medications
- depression or grief.
If these underlying causes are treated but difficulties with thinking, memory or both remain, a formal diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment might be made. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are concerned.
Forgetfulness — Healthifyexternal link
Dementia mate wareware
Bigger changes could signal a form of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia.
Dementia overview — Healthifyexternal link
Dementia services and support — Dementia New Zealandexternal link
Alzheimers New Zealandexternal link
Talk to your healthcare provider if you are concerned about changes with your memory and thinking. Often the cause of the changes is treatable.
Changes do not always lead to dementia. However, if you do have dementia, an early diagnosis is important. It will benefit you by giving you access to therapies such as cognitive stimulation therapy, education and support.
How to improve your brain health
Have regular check ups with your doctor or nurse. This will give you the information you need to make changes that will help you look after your brain.
Your healthcare provider can help you:
- arrange blood tests to check your cholesterol levels and check for diabetes
- manage health conditions like high blood pressure
- check your medications
- stop smoking, if you smoke
- manage your mental health, including treating depression and anxiety
- reduce your risk of falls
- keep up to date with immunisations.
Hearing and eyesight are vital for brain health. Hearing loss alone may account for up to 8% of cases of dementia mate wareware, making it one of the most important things to check. When you cannot hear or see well, your brain misses out on essential stimulation.
There are important things you can do.
- Have regular hearing tests with an audiologist.
- Have regular eye examinations with an optometrist.
- Wear hearing protection in loud places.
- Wear hearing aids if recommended by an audiologist.
- Wear glasses that are correct for you.
- Wear sunglasses outside to reduce the risk of cataracts.
Having high blood cholesterol levels is a heart risk and a risk to your brain. High cholesterol levels can cause your blood vessels to narrow and restrict blood flow to your heart and brain.
Have regular heart risk assessments and blood tests for cholesterol — your healthcare provider can arrange these.
Keep your cholesterol under control with healthy eating and medications if needed.
Understanding your high cholesterol results
Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range is good for your brain health as well as your heart health. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for several diseases that affect brain function, including stroke.
Blood pressure measurement is part of your heart risk assessment. You can have this done by your healthcare provider. If you have high blood pressure, it can be managed with lifestyle changes and medication.
There are many things you can do to lower your blood pressure. Even small lifestyle changes can help, and the more healthy choices you make the better.
Self care for high blood pressure
Diabetes is a risk factor for your heart health and your brain health. Have a regular heart risk assessment with your healthcare provider. They will also arrange blood tests for diabetes and blood sugar (glucose) levels as part of your assessment.
You can reduce your risk of developing diabetes or improve your diabetes control by:
- making healthy food choices
- doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day
- keeping a healthy weight.
Understanding your HbA1c results
Being an unhealthy weight is a heart risk and a brain health risk. Body weight is an important part of your regular cardiovascular risk assessment with your healthcare provider. If you need to, it is best to make gradual, sustainable dietary changes to lose weight, including:
- portion control
- healthy diet (including more fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seafood and dairy)
- limiting salty, ultra-processed and takeaway foods.
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of intense physical activity every week. You can spread this out over the week.
Examples of moderate physical activity include:
- actively playing with your tamariki
- strenuous gardening
- brisk walking and biking
- household chores such as vacuuming or washing the car.
Also try to add muscle-strengthening (resistance) exercise 2 days a week.
Look out for opportunities for group activity exercises in your community or workplace, or good deals to join a gym or exercise class.
Your medical conditions might affect how much you can safely exercise, especially if you are older. Talk to your healthcare provider about how you can exercise safely.
Staying active when you are older
Quitting smoking is one of the best decisions you can make for your health, and this includes your brain health. You can access free support to quit smoking in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Vaping may be safer for brain health than smoking tobacco but there is not enough evidence to say it is completely safe. For some people, vaping is an important step towards quitting smoking. But starting vaping is not recommended as a safe option for non-smokers.
Drinking too much alcohol is a risk for poor brain health. Follow the low-risk drinking advice from Amohia te Waiora — no more than 15 standard drinks a week for men, and 10 for women. In Aotearoa New Zealand, a standard drink equals a 330 ml beer or a 100 ml glass of wine, or 30 ml spirits.
Low-risk drinking advice — Amohia te Waioraexternal link
Older people are less able to cope with alcohol and the effects of alcohol. Alcohol increases the risk of harm, particularly from falls. If you are older, you may also need to take more medications. Mixing them with alcohol can cause unwanted side effects and risks.
Alcohol and the nervous system — Age Concern NZ YouTubeexternal link
Protect yourself from head injuries as much as you can during sport, work activities, riding or any activities where head injury is a risk. Knocks to the head can cause concussion, a type of brain injury.
Make sure you and your teammates and colleagues know the signs of concussion. And follow the recommended return to sport protocols if you have a concussion.
Concussion in sport and recreation — ACCexternal link
Reducing traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — ACCexternal link
If you are older, Live Stronger For Longer has information on ways you can reduce your risk of falls. Falls are a major cause of head injury.
Live Stronger For Longerexternal link
People who have good social connections live longer and happier lives. Social connection is also good for brain health. You can find ways to stay connected by:
- keeping in touch with whānau and friends
- making the most of social opportunities at work, community events and centres, local clubs or interest groups
- volunteering on programmes, service or projects
- helping out on school events, local boards or mentorship programmes.
Connecting by doing things together can also provide you with support and accountability when you are making or breaking habits, like exercise or smoking.
Get help now — Let's End Lonelinessexternal link
Senior and lonely — Let's End Lonelinessexternal link
Engaging in mentally stimulating activities that you enjoy is good for your brain. Like your body, your brain needs to be exercised throughout your life to keep it healthy.
Whatever your age, your brain can adapt, form new connections and increase its ability in areas such as:
- memory
- attention
- speed.
Education, occupation and leisure activities can all provide mental stimulation. Things you can try include:
- playing games, building things or doing puzzles and crosswords
- reading books
- going to the theatre or a museum
- joining a club to follow an interest you have.
Think about learning as a lifelong activity. Look for learning opportunities and career guidance to help you find more mental stimulation.
You could also think about your:
- cultural identity and belonging
- spiritual health
- purpose and the meaning of life for you.
Wairua (spiritual wellbeing) is an important part of your health and wellbeing. It pays to look after it just as you look after your physical health.
Wairua — Healthifyexternal link
Some stress is good for you and can help motivate you to get something done. But when you are under too much stress for too long, it affects your health and wellbeing.
Sleep is important for your brain function, emotional wellbeing and physical health. Most adults need about 6 to 10 hours a night. It is natural however, as you get older, to get less sleep and have more regular waking in the night.
Sleep — Healthifyexternal link
Depression and anxiety are common mental health problems — they can affect anyone. If you have experienced depression, anxiety or other mental health problems, talk to your healthcare provider about ways you can look after your mental wellbeing.