Steps to a Healthy Brain

1. Steps to a Healthy Brain Janice Hermann

2. Brain Health • Brain controls cognitive abilities • What is brain health? • Changing brain • Certain parts shrink • Decreased communication between brain cells • Decreased blood flow • Increased inflammation

3. Brain Health • Even if you are healthy, age related changes in the brain affect memory and learning: • Difficulty finding words and recalling names • More problems multitasking • Mild decreases in ability to pay attention • May take longer to learn something new • However, the brain remains “plastic,” able to adapt to new challenges and tasks as people age

4. Steps to a Healthy Brain

5. Be Physically Active • Brain benefits: • More energy • Maintain and make new connections between brain cells • Increase size of brain structure • Prevent or delay heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes • Keep and improve strength and balance • Reduce risk of falls • Reduce depression

6. Be Physically Active • Physical Activity Guidelines • At least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week (about 30 minutes on most days) • Walking is great • Strength training on two or more days a week • Activities to improve balance and flexibility • Prevent falls - can lead to brain injuries • Talk to your health care provider to see what activities are best for you

7. Have a Healthy Diet • Many diet related chronic diseases can negatively affect cognitive function • Obesity • Diabetes • Heart disease • High blood pressure • Stroke

8. Have a Healthy Diet • A healthy diet can keep your brain healthy • Choose foods with less saturated fat, trans fat, and added sugar • Make fruits, vegetables, and whole grains a major part of your diet • Choose lean meats, fish, and poultry • Choose low-fat or non-fat dairy • Control portion sizes • Drink adequate fluids

9. Have a Healthy Diet • Consume alcohol in moderation • Body is more sensitive to alcohol with age • To much alcohol impairs brain cell communication • Slurred speech, fuzzy memory, drowsiness, and dizziness • Long-term can cause changes in memory, emotions, balance and coordination (falls, accidents) • Alcohol can be dangerous if mixed with some medications • Follow the Dietary Guidelines on intake

10. Get Enough Sleep • Sleep supports brain health • Sleep problems can: • Lead to problems with memory, concentration and other cognitive functions • Increase risk of cardiovascular disease • Increase risk of accidents and falls – head injuries

11. Get Enough Sleep • Sleep problems: • Not getting enough sleep • Sleeping poorly • Sleep disorders - sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome • Steps you can do: • Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night • Try relaxation techniques • See your healthcare provider about sleep problems

12. Be Socially Connected • Social isolation linked to poorer cognitive function • Loneliness linked to higher risk of dementia • Depression can cause confusion and attention problems and linked to dementia • Connecting with other people can: • Keep your brain stimulated • Help you feel less isolated • Help you feel more engaged

13. Be Socially Connected • Studies have shown: • Those with the most social interaction have the slowest rate of memory decline • Long term relationships are protective against age-related cognitive decline • Be social and stay connected • Active with family and friends • Volunteer or work • Social groups • Community programs

14. Challenge Your Brain • Mentally challenging activities, such as learning something new, may: • Help improve cognitive function • Prevent cognitive decline • Learning something new: • Requires active mental engagement • Taps into working memory, long-term memory and other high-level cognitive processes

15. Challenge Your Brain • Mentally challenging activities is believed to strengthen connections between different parts of the brain - strengthening the entire brain network • While brain games have been shown to improve limited aspects of short-term memory • Lots of things can challenge your brain

16. Check Your Medications • Some medicines, combinations of medicines, or improper use of medicines can affect the way the brain functions • Can cause confusion, memory loss, hallucinations, and delusions in older adults • Some medicines can interact with: • Food, dietary supplements, alcohol, and other substances in ways that can affect how your brain functions.

17. Check Your Medications • What you can do: • Talk to your healthcare provider about all the medications you take, both prescription and over-the-counter. • Any mediation interactions? • Any memory or brain function side effects? • Does the medication affect sleep? • Follow instructions for taking medications

18. Work With Your Healthcare Provider • Review medications • Manage health problems • Abstain from smoking • If you have any questions or concerns about your cognitive abilities

19. Summmary

20. References • Administration for Community Living, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Talking about brain health and aging: The basics. Accessed 2019 at https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/triage/BrainHealthBasics_0.pdf • National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health. (2017). Cognitive health and older adults. Accessed 2019 at https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/cognitive-health-and-older-adults • National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health. (2017). How the aging brain affects thinking. Accessed 2019 at https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/how-aging-brain-affects-thinking • National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health. (2017). Risks to cognitive health. Accessed 2019 at https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/risks-cognitive-health • National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health. (2019). What is brain health. Accessed 2019 at https://brainhealth.nia.nih.gov/