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It’s time to make some changes for the sake of your brain. “There are things you can do today to protect brain health at any age,” says Wali Qayoumi, M.D., assistant clinical professor, department of neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego. “About 80% of strokes are preventable, and even a small change may help reduce your risk of stroke and dementia.”
It’s true: Little habits matter. “Small changes add up when it comes to brain health, and they tend to be more sustainable than overhauling your lifestyle,” says Vonetta Dotson, Ph.D., chief of neuropsychology in neurology at Mass General Brigham, author of Keep Your Wits About You: The Science of Brain Maintenance as You Age and founder of CerebroFit Integrated Brain Health “I often encourage my patients to think about one small change they can make to boost their brain health, stick with it until it becomes a habit, and then take another step.”
In fact, you may already be doing some things right because the same habits that protect your heart support brain health. “The U.S. POINTER study showed that a combination of a healthy diet, increased physical exercise, intellectual stimulation, social engagement, and cardiovascular risk factor monitoring improved cognitive performance,” says Arjun Masurkar, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of neurology and neuroscience at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
On the other hand, you may have accumulated some habits that are less than ideal for your brain. Ahead, here’s what neurologists say you should stop doing to prioritize brain health:
Treating sleep as optional.
With our frenzied schedules, sleep is where we often skimp—but it shouldn’t be negotiable. “Sleep isn't just downtime for your brain. It's essential for memory, attention, emotional regulation, and many other aspects of cognitive functioning,” says Dotson. “Consistently shortchanging yourself on sleep can affect how well your brain functions right now, and chronic sleep problems have also been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia later in life.” Aim for 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep each night, and see your doctor if underlying issues such as insomnia or sleep apnea are affecting your shuteye.
Smoking or vaping.
You already know smoking affects lung and heart health. However, you might not realize it can increase risk of stroke, impact memory, and contribute to other declines in cognitive function due to oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the brain. The alternatives, such as vaping and nicotine pouches, aren’t any better. “People often think vaping is ‘safer’ because they think it doesn’t expose you to the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco products,” says Dr. Qayoumi. “But it still contains nicotine, which is addictive and narrows blood vessels. In fact, research finds that vaping can increase risk of stroke by 50%.”
Being a couch potato.
This is always important—but especially so if your job involves sitting for long periods of time. “Lack of physical activity is one of the well-established risk factors for dementia,” says Dr. Qayoumi. “Bonus points if you get outdoors to walk in nature. Research has found that spending 20 to 30 minutes in a green space specifically lowers the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.”
If possible, get moderate-intensity physical exercise for 150 minutes per week, which can mitigate age-related brain atrophy and help reduce the risk of dementia and stroke by preserving memory and thinking, improving sleep, and improving cerebral blood flow, says Roberto Gomez, M.D., vascular neurology fellowship director, associate stroke director at University Hospital, and assistant professor of neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
Biking without a helmet.
Serious accidents, especially on e-bikes, are on the rise. “We’ve seen an exponential increase in e-bike collisions from 2 in 2018 to 1,500 in 2024 in our ER,” says Dr. Qayoumi. “You can go so much faster on these machines, and it’s harder to stop, which makes it a recipe for disaster.” Protect yourself—and make sure your kids wear helmets, too!—when using anything with two or four wheels.
Brushing off changes in your hearing.
Getting your hearing checked—and treated, if necessary—is one of the most overlooked steps you can take to support brain health. That’s because hearing loss is associated with an increased risk of dementia. “We don't always think of our senses as part of brain health, but hearing plays a critical role in how we interact with the world,” says Dotson. “When hearing declines, the brain has to work harder to interpret sounds, and people may begin to withdraw from conversations and social activities. Both of those factors may contribute to cognitive difficulties over time.” If you are turning up the TV more often or asking family and friends to repeat themselves, it’s time for a hearing test because hearing loss is treatable.
Assuming that feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed is something you have to live with.
“Mental health is brain health. Chronic stress, anxiety, and depression can affect attention, memory, motivation, and many other aspects of cognitive functioning. Depression has also been associated with an increased risk of dementia,” says Dotson. “It's important not to assume that every episode of forgetfulness reflects a problem with memory itself. Sometimes the issue is that stress, anxiety, or depression is making it harder to concentrate, learn, and efficiently process information in the first place. Taking care of your emotional health isn't separate from taking care of your brain. It's an essential part of it.”
In fact, stress plays a much bigger part in our brain health than you might guess. “Stress can lead to poor sleep, unhealthy food consumption, and also medical issues such as high blood pressure which can damage the brain,” says Dr. Masurkar. “When we have stress we also isolate ourselves, which is not good for brain health.”
Using alcohol as your go-to way to relax or unwind.
“Alcohol may make you feel relaxed in the moment, but it can interfere with sleep, impair judgment and memory, and affect emotional well-being,” says Dotson. “Heavy drinking is particularly concerning for brain health, and growing evidence challenges the long-held belief that moderate alcohol consumption is protective. Large imaging studies have found differences in brain structure among people who average as little as one to two drinks per day, with those differences becoming more pronounced as alcohol intake increases.”
If you drink, cut back—and if you don't drink, there is no brain-health reason to start. Instead, find other ways to unwind, such as physical activity, mindfulness practices, or spending time with people you enjoy.
Relying on energy drinks.
You may see them as a healthier alternative to caffeine in coffee, but they’re actually not a good choice for anyone, no matter what your age. “These beverages may be less expensive than a pricey latte or may have less sugar than some beverages, but they can spike blood pressure and heart rates, increasing risk of a-fib related strokes,” says Dr. Qayoumi
Following fad diets.
Forget the latest fad; there’s one healthy eating style that’s been proven effective over and over. “The best thing that you can do to prevent brain diseases like stroke and dementia from the dieting perspective is the Mediterranean diet. There are suggestions that the components of the diet help improve blood pressure, reduce systemic inflammation, and improve fat levels. Multiple studies, including the 2026 prospective study in California, have shown that there is an association between the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of every subtype of stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic). There is also a large review that shows lowered risk of cognitive impairment among people who abide by the Mediterranean diet.”
Putting friendship last.
Getting together with friends always seems to be the first thing to go in our hectic lives. But it’s much more important for brain health than you’d guess. “Maintain a close relationship with five to six friends,” says Dr. Gomez. “Having close interpersonal relationships with a subset of people can help reduce your risk of developing diseases like Alzheimer's in the future by upwards of 30%. Spending time with friends exercises memory and language to build a cognitive reserve that helps buffer the brain from any changes. Being around friends can also reduce stress levels and stress hormones to reduce overall inflammation and protect neural pathways.”
Eric M. Ascher, D.O. is a board-certified family medicine physician. He completed medical school at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, his family medicine residency and fellowship at Northwell Health, and has been working for Northwell Health since. Dr. Ascher practices in New York City and focuses on preventative medicine and healthy lifestyles. He has been recognized annually on The Super Doctor’s List posted in the New York Times and has been recognized by Northwell Health as a Rising Star and Physician of the Year. He hosts a series on YouTube in collaboration with Northwell Health called “Hack Your Health,” where viewers are taught why household items may relieve their ailments. Dr. Ascher is an assistant professor of the Zucker Hillside School of Medicine at Hoftsra Northwell, has been a pioneer for telehealth throughout his career, has been a media expert, and is heavily involved in practice and technology optimization. He appreciates building relationships with his patients and their families to encourage long, happy, and healthy lives.
