April 10, 2026 - Your brain, like your muscles, relies on intentional, sustained training to stay in shape.
To help you live better and longer, our healthspan initiative offers research-backed insights for healthier living into how you eat, sleep, move and connect with others. This educational piece will focus mainly on brain health, including how to maintain it, boost it and stave off cognitive decline.
A closer look at the aging brain
It’s no surprise that, as we age, our brains change. “Cognitive decline is a part of normal healthy aging,” according to the American Psychological Association, but there are ways to minimize it and possibly slow it down.
Research confirms that humans lose brain volume as they age, a process that’s referred to as neurodegeneration. These changes can include:
- Certain parts of the brain shrink.
- Communication between specific neurons may be less effective.
- Blood flow in the brain may decrease.
- Inflammation may increase.
The good news is that, according to The Buck Institute, “The brain maintains ‘plasticity’ throughout most of our lifetime, and scientific interventions show promise.” We look at some of these research-backed tactics below.
Can we slow down brain aging?
Ultimately, we can’t stop the natural changes that occur to our brains as we age, but we can take measures to combat the effects of neurodegeneration. Food, sleep, exercise, social engagement — they all go hand in hand when it comes to longevity.
Tips for boosting brain health
- Do your best to manage stress. Make time for mindfulness, meditation, therapy or other healthy habits that keep anxiety and stress at a minimum.
- Remain active and diversify exercise routines. Prioritize physical fitness and varied movement to regularly engage all of your muscles.
- Stay engaged with lifelong learning efforts. Learning means developing new and stronger connections (known as synapses) between neurons in your brain, promoting neuroplasticity.
- Get enough sleep and social engagement. Make an effort to sleep for at least 7 hours every night, and interact with at least one person (even if it’s your barista) every day to stay stimulated.
- Include lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains in your diet. Research suggests that certain foods, such as leafy greens, berries and walnuts, can nourish the brain.
- Don’t assume your cognitive health status. Use a research-backed brain training tool to stay sharp and help protect against cognitive conditions, such as dementia.
Research-backed brain training
How can we exercise our brains? While practicing skills is great for your mental, physical and cognitive health for various reasons, it isn’t necessarily effective for building a rich network of synapses and supporting plasticity. For that, try lifelong learning tactics, such as:
- Engaging in interesting problems
- Developing flexible strategies
- Interacting with other people
In your brain training journey, you’ll likely come across games and puzzles that claim to improve cognition, but it’s important to confirm the supporting research behind them. For example, one evidence-backed resource you might want to consider is BrainHQ, an organization that specializes in exercises for memory, attention and more — with proven results. In a long-term study, adults who participated in BrainHQ’s cognitive speed training and boosters reduced their risk of getting Alzheimer’s and dementia by 25%.
Parting advice
Proper brain training can halt or even reverse symptoms of brain aging, but stimulating your brain with diverse activities and movement strengthens more than just neurological connections; it also helps support your overall health and wellness. Take walking with a friend as an example — it strengthens your heart, brain, mood and social bonds at the same time, making it one of the simplest habits for long-term health.
Consult with your physician regularly to discuss any concerns about your cognitive health. You can visit the BrainHQ blog for additional insights on bettering your brain health, and expect more healthspan tips in the months to come. In the meantime, browse some of our other healthspan updates for even more ways to live better.
The content of this article was reviewed by Dr. Chris Jaeger, MD, consulting medical director, HumanGood.