A Minute on Our Mind

Taking care of your body and taking care of your brain go hand in hand. Most of us want to do whatever we can to keep our minds healthy and functioning well, and it’s encouraging to see brain health becoming a mainstream conversation. We now know that the choices we make today genuinely influence how our brains age.

Lifestyle habits like nutrition, movement, sleep, and managing health conditions all play a role in how well our brains perform. And—no surprise here—the basics still matter most: regular exercise, more vegetables and less red meat, more water and less alcohol, and consistent, quality sleep. All the things health experts have been telling us for years really do support long‑term brain health.

But it’s not only about food and fitness. Activities that challenge and delight your mind—learning mahjong, meditating, doing real‑world puzzles, taking a tap dance class, laughing often, spending time with friends—also strengthen your brain. A healthier lifestyle truly does support a sharper mind.

The good news is that brain health doesn’t require a life of endless salads, hours at the gym, or a stack of crossword puzzles. It can be fun, varied, and creative. It looks like getting outside, reading for pleasure, learning a new language and practicing it with others, trying a new recipe or a strange fruit, or experimenting with paint. It also means spending less time scrolling and more time engaging your brain in ways that actually nourish it.

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