Believe it or not, age is just a number when it comes to enhancing your cognitive abilities. Uncover the potential of your mind and learn how to boost your brainpower, regardless of your age. It's never too late to start.
What really works to preserve-and enhance-your thinking skills
34 percent of Americans say they’ve noticed signs of forgetfulness significant enough to worry them, in a March Consumer Reports nationally representative survey of 2,116 adults
- Evidence is piling up that lifestyle steps may reduce brain disease risks and help us maintain cognitive strength
- A major 2020 report in The Lancet suggests that 12 factors within our control-including smoking, poor fitness, and obesity-are responsible for up to 40 percent of dementia cases
- We’re also seeing the potential in personalized prevention for those at higher risk for poor brain health
- Get good sleep
- As you slumber, your brain stays surprisingly long, helping to preserve your memories
- Go for a hearing exam
- Monitor and manage your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels
- Watch these health numbers
Get Enough Physical Activity
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults get 150 weekly minutes of moderately intense exercise, such as brisk walking.
- Zaldy Tan, MD, MPH, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, recommends about 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week, 45 to 60 minutes a day, 60 to 70 hours a week
- Give Yoga or Tai Chi a Try
- Take a Dance Lesson (or Two)
- Try another activity where you can learn or socialize, like water aerobics
- Retire a Little Later
- Work until age 67 or later may offer a buffer against age-related cognitive problems
- Make Learning a Lifelong Pursuit
- Anything that stimulates your brain counts, Snyder says, from learning to paint to a college lecture to a new exercise class-especially if it brings the chance for some social engagement
- Pump Some Iron
- Six months of resistance training may help prevent the brain’s hippocampus from shrinking with age
Experiencing mood changes for no apparent reason
Check for reversible causes like depression or a drug side effect.
The bottom line
Consuming a mix of nutrient-packed foods-not focusing on a single “superfood”-and maintaining a normal weight are two pillars of cognitive well-being.
- Choose flavonoids over other antioxidants
- Serve up a salad
- Load up on berries
- Indulge in coffee
- Dine on seafood
- Consider the Big 3 plant-based eating plans
Hallie Levine is an award-winning magazine and freelance writer who contributes to Consumer Reports on health and fitness topics
Her work has been published in Health, Prevention, Reader’s Digest, and Parents, among others.
- In her spare time, she likes to read, swim, and run marathons.
Brain fog
“Brain fog” can be caused by anything from a sluggish thyroid to a vitamin B12 shortfall, but it may also occur with and after recovery from COVID-19.
- If you suspect your cognitive fogginess is related to coronavirus, see your doctor about an appointment for a neuropsychological evaluation at a post-COVID recovery clinic.
