Healthy brain ageing - experts tips

Our experts

• Dr Angela Bohnen, Board-Certified Neurosurgeon with Neurosurgery One and Chief of Surgery at AdventHealth Littleton Hospital, Colorado, USA

• Anjani Chakrala PhD, Neuroscience Advisor at Thinkie Inc, USA

• Ava Diamond Dreyer, MCSW, Founder, Neuroscience Intelligence (NQ) Coaching, New York, USA

• Dr Simon Faynboym, M.D. Medical Director and Psychiatrist at Neuro Wellness Spa, California, USA

• Victoria Hagan, MS, LPC Shoreside Therapies, Wisconsin, USA

• Dr Roy Hamilton, McKnight Brain Research Foundation trustee, professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

• Erik Larson, PMHNP-BC, Owner, at Larson Mental Health, Colorado, USA

• Alexander LeRitz MSc, RDN CDN, CNSC CPT, registered dietitian at JM Nutrition, Canada

• Jennifer Pallian, Registered Dietitian, BSC, RD, Food Scientist and Recipe Developer at Foodess Creative Inc, Alberta, Canada

• Arati Patel, MA, LMFT, CYT-500, President, Owner, Psychotherapist at Arati Patel LMFT, California, USA

• Sita Severson, Director of Soul of Yoga Institute, CIAYT, E‑RYT 500, California, USA

Mental stimulation top tips

“Practice ‘everyday novelties’ by experiencing something a little different - such as taking a different route to work or using your non-dominant hand for a few tasks.” Alexander LeRitz

“If you only have ten spare minutes, that still counts. A quick logic puzzle, a small section of a book, or even a short puzzle-style video game can give your mind a helpful reset without feeling like a chore.” Alexander LeRitz

“Choose one new, challenging activity and commit to it 3-4 times per week for 8-2 weeks. This could be learning a language, taking up chess, or reading dense non-fiction. This consistent engagement produces measurable changes in brain structure and function, with benefits that extend beyond the activity itself. “Anjani Chakrala

Active top tips

“If you are active doing what you enjoy, you do not need to add a treadmill or gym membership. For example, dance around the living room, walk the dog, or do the gardening. Also, remember that any movement counts as exercise if it is enough to make you slightly winded - for example, housework, or shovelling snow. Motion is the lotion for body and brain.” Victoria Hagan

"Activities such as balance and coordination improve the involvement of disparate brain regions, leading to a more holistic way of thinking.” Dr Angela Bohnen

"Moving your body for at least 30 minutes a day, several days a week, will result in the biggest benefits. Aerobic activities such as brisk walking are more beneficial for memory and thinking compared to gentler movements like stretching." Dr Roy Hamilton

"Movement that links breath and body is especially supportive for your brain health. Try activities such as mindful walking to increase circulation to the brain and encourage the growth of healthy neural pathways. These activities also regulate the stress response, which protects long-term cognitive function." Sita Severson

Nutrition top tips

“If it is good for the heart, it is good for the brain. The MIND diet is a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the Heart Healthy diet. It limits red meats while increasing whole grains, legumes, fruit, and vegetables. An easy way to incorporate these changes is to make one change per week, for example, swap out one red meat meal per week for a legume-based meal. Each week, add one more of the MIND diet recommendations to your menu.” Victoria Hagan

“Go Blue. Add blue and purple foods to your intake and focus your protein on foods from the deep blue sea (fish). The chemical in the foods that causes the blue colour and the Omega 3 in fish are essential to lowering inflammation - and when we lower inflammation, we protect, preserve, and promote our best brain. Ava Diamond Dreyer

“Stay hydrated. It sounds almost too simple, but even mild dehydration can make you feel foggy. Most people in their 40s and 50s don’t realise how much their fluid needs creep up.” Alexander LeRitz

"Stay away from ultra-processed foods, added sugars, refined carbohydrates, and saturated or trans fats. Instead, follow diets like the Mediterranean and DASH that prioritise heart-healthy vegetables, and healthy fats." Dr Roy Hamilton

“Do not smoke and limit alcohol - this reduces brain inflammation and protects cognitive function.” Dr Simon Faynboym

Social wellbeing top tips

"Even low-pressure contact - such as a quick check-in with a friend or a simple conversation with a neighbour - helps to prevent feeling isolated and disconnected." Alexander LeRitz

“One aspect of being socially engaged is being able to hear the conversation. It is important to have your hearing checked, and if necessary, wear hearing aids.” Victoria Hagan

“Commit to one regular social ritual each month. This could be a weekly coffee with friends, a book club, or a fitness or cooking class. This social connection buffers stress, improves mood, and indirectly protects brain health by improving sleep and reducing inflammation.” Anjani Chakrala

“Connection is medicine for the brain - attending a weekly class helps regulate mood and steadies the nervous system. Volunteering is also powerful. It creates meaningful social contact while giving a sense of purpose - boosting confidence and lowering feelings of isolation. These steady points of connection protect emotional resilience as you age.” Sita Severson

Prevention top tips

“Prevention in midlife creates stability later.

• Prioritise sleep - 7-9 hours with consistent rhythms.

• Practice a brief daily mindfulness o breathing exercise to regulate stress.

“When these habits become part of the rhythm of your life, not perfection, just consistency - they support clearer thinking, steadier emotions, and a brain that stays strong and adaptable as you age.” Arati Patel

“Your annual health screenings for heart disease, cancers, and other chronic illnesses are extremely important. Health care professionals can recognise areas for improvement that may not be evident to you." Victoria Hagan

“Prevention begins with paying attention - learn to notice how you react to stress, how your concentration changes, and what affects the quality of your sleep. When we adjust our habits early enough, the brain stays resilient to stress longer and adapts more easily to age-related changes.” Erik Larson

“Preventing chronic conditions such as hipertensión, diabetes, obesity, and colesterol alto is one of the most important ways to preserve a healthy brain - as these conditions directly affect blood vessels supplying the brain. Many of these develop silently over years before symptoms appear, so get health checks.” Dr Simon Faynboym