I have worked in the area of brain health for almost 20 years in my role as a psychiatrist, and one of my major areas of interest is dementia (a progressive loss of brain function due to an illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease). I’ve come to believe that everyone should be thinking about their brain health much earlier than the age of 65. That’s because there are ways to substantially reduce your risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, and the earlier you address problematic lifestyle choices and health conditions, the more successful you are likely to be.
Lifestyle interventions are a critical component of maintaining mental wellness, so prioritise your sleep, exercise regularly, and eat healthily.
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Indeed, there is good evidence that improving general physical fitness improves brain health. One reason is obvious – better fitness equates to better vascular health, which then improves the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain. Exercise helps our grey matter in other ways, however. Over the long term, it is associated with reduced inflammation, and can offset some of the damage wrought by eating sugary or fat-laden foods. It also helps with weight management, sleep and mental health, with consequent benefits to brain health.
