Brain and Cognitive Health Archive

The 1,000 Hours Outside challenge can motivate people to spend more time outdoors by trying to accumulate 1,000 hours of outdoor time over a year.

A 2024 study suggests that cognitive changes are a more reliable signal than either age or biological signs of Alzheimer's disease to foreshadow an older adult's decision to stop driving.

Being a night owl might increase the risk of developing many health problems, so it might be worth it for night owls to go to sleep a little earlier. The sleep schedule must be shifted slowly to make a lasting change. Tips to do that include setting a bedtime goal between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.; going to sleep 20 minutes earlier every five days, until the bedtime goal is reached; possibly using certain sleep aids until the bedtime goal is reached; and setting a consistent wake time no later than 9 a.m.

People who followed a balanced diet consisting of a good mix of healthy foods like lean meats, vegetables, fruit, and dairy, with occasional processed foods had the highest scores of cognitive function compared with other eating patterns, according to a 2024 study.

Vacation activities are often healthier than everyday habits. Since heart disease and cancer are linked to lifestyle choices people can change, such as poor diet and inactivity, maintaining habits fostered on vacation can improve overall health. These habits include spending more time outdoors, moving more, spending less time online, eating a more varied diet, dining more with others, getting more sleep, and engaging their brain in novel ways.

Physical activity lowers cardiovascular disease risk in part by reducing stress-related activity in the brain, according to a 2024 study.

It's well known that ultra-processed foods are unhealthy. But what if you follow a healthy diet yet also eat some ultra-processed foods? A new study found that this still poses a risk for brain health.

Super-agers are individuals known to maintain peak mental prowess well into their 90s and avoid dementia and Alzheimer's disease. While genetics play a big part in super-agers' cognitive health, adopting healthy lifestyle habits also contributes, and other people might be able to improve their brain health in the same way. These habits include exercising regularly, following a plant-based diet, being social, adopting mentally challenging activities, and getting adequate sleep.

A 2023 study suggests a blood test that looks for a specific biomarker may help identify people with Alzheimer's disease who may benefit from anti-amyloid therapy long before the disease is evident.