Why doing more of what you love can help your brain stay sharper for longer

Brain health is one of the leading topics in today’s health and wellness headlines, yet articles often lead us to believe that keeping the brain active is more complicated than we think. New research however, suggests that it doesn’t have to be. Rather than adhering to a strict regime of crossword puzzles, sudoku’s and learning a new skill or language, Professor Yaakov Sterling, a leading academic at Columbia University, New York, has a much more liberating message, “do more of what you love”.

While liberating, Professor Yaakov’s message is still rooted in science and it’s important to recognise that doing more of what you love doesn’t start in later life. It starts much earlier around the age of 30 when the hippocampus starts to decline. Through the use of brain imaging technology, Professor Yaakov Stern has been able to show these subtle changes.

‘Ageing is not just for old people. It’s a life-long process. It’s not something that just starts when you’re 70’, says Professor Yaakov Stern.

Cognitive decline and its associated pathologies of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are not pre-determined. While some can be more susceptible to cognitive decline through genetics, the evidence shows us that up to 40% of dementia cases are preventable through modifiable lifestyle factors, and as Professor James Goodwin says, “it is never too late or too early to start looking after your brain health.”

In understanding this, it is clear that the choices we make today, will have a significant impact on our future selves. While this isn’t cause for alarm, it is a call to action, encouraging each of us to work towards building cognitive reserve so we stay sharp and feel good in our later years.

In 2019, a landmark study which examined data on over 10,000 adults tracked for nearly 28 years, found that those who were socially active at age 60 were less likely to go on to develop dementia. Research has also found that those engaged in mentally stimulating activities, whether that be reading a book, knitting or doing a crossword puzzle, had a lower risk of developing cognitive impairment in later life.

Modifiable lifestyle factors are the things that we have control over in our lives. It means eating well, moving on a daily basis, getting enough sleep, keeping the mind active and living a healthy life – the six core pillars that are the foundations of Brain Health Network. The Global Council, an independent panel of leading scientists and doctors recommend a wide range of activities to help keep the brain active, but crucially there is no one activity that has proven to be better than others. What matters is staying engaged in the activity at hand.

This is why, rather than creating unachievable goals, Professor Yaakov’s suggestion – do more of what you love – is thought to be the best contribution to brain health. Enjoyment enables us to stay engaged. 

“I try to avoid making people feel that there is only one right thing to do. Everybody has interests, so follow those interests. If you like to read, read. If you like to garden, enjoy gardening. The key thing is to make sure to do  something or many things. From a day to day point of view, it’s much more manageable and enjoyable,” says Professor Yaakov Stern.

Professor Yaakov’s message removes the pressure so many of us face in today’s fast paced world. Instead of trying to overhaul your life and pursue something you don’t enjoy, think about what you already love doing and make more space for it in your daily routine. As he says, if you enjoy reading, then read more and perhaps challenge yourself to a different genre of books. If you enjoy knitting, why not try a new pattern that you haven’t done before. There are many ways to do what you love, while adding that little extra challenge to really stimulate the mind and help form new neural pathways that help to keep brain health in check.

By embracing your hobbies and therefore tending to your brain health, you are helping to build cognitive reserve everyday, investing in your future and lifelong vitality.

For related articles, read Rise of the Superagers, “DNA is not destiny. It is entirely possible to slow down brain ageing”. Professor James Goodwin.