Brain Health

Discover everyday ways to keep your brain healthy, support memory and thinking, and understand cognitive changes as you age.

What you need to know

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Cognitive problems can get better

Around 45% of people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (problems with brain function) get completely better.

Like a muscle, your brain grows when it works hard

Regularly working your brain harder builds cognitive reserve. This term refers to your brain’s ability to adapt as you age.

What cognitive reserve can do

When you have cognitive reserve, if you forget a word, your brain can find a similar word to fill the gap. If a neural pathway—a brain connection that helps you think—is damaged, you have lots of extra ones, because you’ve built them over time.

Cognitive problems can have many causes

Possible causes include:

An undiagnosed infection
An imbalance in your diet
Changes in digestion that stop you from absorbing vitamins
Mild depression
A stressful life situation or an emotional shock
An illness such as diabetes

All these can be treated with medication, lifestyle changes, or counselling.

Brain and body health are connected

What helps your body also helps your brain. When you eat healthy food, you nourish your brain. When you exercise, your heart gets better at providing your brain with oxygen.

Know your terms

These terms are often used in eye care. Here’s what they mean in plain language. Some terms have legal definitions and some more generally describe someone’s vision experience.

Cognition and cognitive function are the medical terms for thinking, memory, and other mental functions. A problem with these abilities is called cognitive impairment. This website uses that term.

Steps you can take today

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1

Learn something new

Playing games or doing puzzles is good brain exercise, but doing something new is even better. If you usually do crosswords, try Sudoku or a different puzzle. If you’ve always played piano, learn guitar or a new musical style.

Meeting new people, visiting new places, or cooking new types of food also support cognitive health.

2

Be physically active

Physical activity helps send blood to your brain and can trigger the release of hormones that support brain health.

What the research shows

Studies show that when older adults completed a 12-week exercise program, their brains showed growth. This mainly happened in brain areas related to the ability to focus, stay on task, and function effectively. This occurred in older adults with mild cognitive impairment and in older adults without any cognitive impairment. In fact, results were greater for those with impairments!

You don’t have to go to the gym. Anything that gets you moving will help. See our Staying active page .

3

Take care of your hearing

Older adults who get their hearing tested regularly and use hearing aids when needed are less likely to have cognitive problems.

4

Stay socially connected

Loneliness and lack of social stimulation are connected to cognitive decline. Find ideas and resources on our Social connection page .

5

Get your medications reviewed

Older adults who take many medications are more at risk for cognitive decline, as well as falls, depression, and digestive problems.

Don’t stop taking your prescription medication. Instead, ask your health care provider to review them at least once a year. Also, your pharmacist can help.

6

Make healthy lifestyle choices

Don’t smoke, eat a healthy diet >, get medical care for physical and mental health concerns, and get a good night’s sleep.

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Myth vs. Fact

Myth

“My memory is failing so I must be getting dementia.”

Fact

Challenges with memory and thinking don’t usually lead to dementia. Studies suggest that only 10% to 15% of people with mild cognitive problems develop dementia.

When to see a doctor

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Talk to a health care worker when:

You struggle with tasks you used to manage easily
Everyday absent-mindedness is getting worse
You don’t recognize familiar places and people
Someone close to you notices changes in your memory or thinking

Cognitive changes can usually be helped by treatment. Also, sometimes it is caused by an underlying illness that needs attention. Some people find seeking a diagnosis scary, but it can lead to treatment and recovery, and in most cases, you’ll get your health back.

Learn more: Cognitive frailty

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When someone is having problems with both cognitive and physical health, this might be a condition called cognitive frailty.

Brain and body health can affect each other

Brain health Poor brain health can make physical frailty worse

Physical health Physical frailty can further lower brain health

With cognitive frailty, the poor brain health can make the physical frailty worse and then the physical frailty will further lower brain health.

With medical care, people with cognitive frailty can break this cycle and get better.

Typical signs of cognitive frailty

Physical frailty

Symptoms like slowed walking speed, weak muscles, exhaustion, and inactivity.

Challenges with thinking

Challenges paying attention, focusing, and thinking things through clearly (known as executive function).

Cognitive frailty is not the same as dementia

Cognitive frailty is not the same as Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. Unlike people with dementia, people with cognitive frailty don’t usually experience significant memory problems.

When you notice signs of cognitive frailty, see your doctor or nurse practitioner.

They can assess your health, look for the cause of your challenges, and provide treatment. As a result, both your brain and body can get stronger and healthier.