Make a new year's resolution to keep your brain healthy

Submitted by the Alzheimer’s Association

As the year comes to a close, many people start to consider their New Year’s resolutions for 2025. While it’s common to commit to a new physical fitness regime starting in January, the Alzheimer’s Association encourages you to also consider the health of the most important part of your body: your brain.

While some brain changes are inevitable as we age, there is a growing body of research to suggest that adopting healthy behaviors, including healthy eating, exercising regularly, not smoking and staying cognitively engaged, may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

The Western New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association offers these 10 healthy habits for your brain to adopt in the New Year.

1. Challenge your mind. Be curious. Put your brain to work and do something that is new for you. Learn a new skill. Try something artistic. Challenging your mind may have short- and long-term benefits for your brain.
2. Get moving. Engage in regular exercise. This includes activities that raise your heart rate and increase blood flow to the brain and body. Find ways to build more movement into your day – walking, dancing, gardening – whatever works for you!
3. Eat right. Eating healthier foods can help reduce your risk of cognitive decline. This includes more vegetables and leaner meats/proteins, along with foods that are less processed and lower in fat. Choose healthier meals and snacks that you enjoy and are available to you. Make eating right a habit!
4. Maintain a healthy weight. Talk to your health care provider about the weight that is healthy for you. Other healthy habits on this list – eating right, physical activity and sleep – can help with maintaining a healthy weight.
5. Be smoke-free. Quitting smoking can lower the risk of cognitive decline back to levels similar to those who have not smoked. It’s never too late to stop.
6. Control your blood pressure. Medications can help lower high blood pressure. And healthy habits like eating right and physical activity can help, too. Work with a health care provider to control your blood pressure.
7. Manage diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or controlled by healthier eating, increasing physical activity, and medication, if necessary.
8. Sleep well. Good, quality sleep is important for brain health. Stay off screens before bed and make your sleep space as comfortable as possible. Do all you can to minimize disruptions. If you have any sleep-related problems, such as sleep apnea, talk to a health care provider.
9. Protect your head. Help prevent an injury to your head. Wear a helmet for activities like biking, and wear a seatbelt. Do what you can to prevent falls, especially for older adults.
10. Stay in school. Education reduces your risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Encourage youth to stay in school and pursue the highest level of training possible. Continue your own education by taking a class at a local library, college or online.

The Alzheimer's Association is available with information and support for families as they navigate the disease and related research. For more information, visit alz.org/wny or call the 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900.