As a neurologist, people ask me all the time about brain health. More and more people are interested in the ways they can protect and support their brains, and I’m thrilled that this conversation is growing fast.

Brain health isn’t just about individual lifestyle tweaks and healthy habits. It’s about our future—and the very foundation of our societies. When you get involved in brain health, you become part of one of the most exciting health and science movements ever. 

What Is the Definition of Brain Health?

The idea of brain health is complex, just like our brains themselves. The American Academy of Neurology defines brain health as “a continuous state of attaining and maintaining the optimal neurologic function that best supports one’s physical, mental, and social well-being through every stage of life.”

In plain language, brain health is the overall condition of your brain that helps you be socially active, cognitively engaged, and mentally sharp. It lets you have meaningful, joyful interactions with the rest of the world during every stage of your life.

Brain health is flexible—it’s never too early or too late to improve it.

Does Brain Health Change Across the Lifespan?

Brain health can change in a few ways:

• Developmental processes: Our brains rapidly develop at the start of our lives, then continue to change through the various stages of life as we age.
• Risk factors: We’re all exposed to different risk factors in our lives. That can be major exposures like disease and brain injury, and it can also be everyday issues like bad sleep patterns, unhealthy diets, and stressful times.
• Adaptation: When we practice good brain health, it can help us adapt to new life stages and modify our risk factors. It can even help us heal from injuries and stay mentally alert as we age. 

How Are Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Social Well-Being Connected to Brain Health?

They all work together to help you achieve optimal brain health by enhancing your brain function and its structural integrity.

• Physical activity boosts your brain’s metabolism and blood flow, and it even protects blood vessels in the brain.
• Managing stress and emotional health reduces inflammation that can accelerate brain aging.
• Strong social connections keep the brain engaged—they’re even linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline. 

Together, these everyday habits shape how well your brain works now and how resilient it stays over time. Even if you have a brain disease, you can practice good brain health.

Physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being are all parts of brain health—how we take care of our bodies, the way we think and feel, and how we connect with others. The concept may be complex, but the feeling and understanding is simple: To take care of one part of our health, we should also take care of the others.

What Are Some Practical Strategies for Better Brain Health?

There are key components to overall health and especially brain health.

1. Physical activity: I don’t think there’s any better intervention known to humankind than physical activity, especially when we combine it with social engagement. Find something you enjoy—a sport, dancing, gardening, or whatever else gets you moving—and do it with other people. There’s joy and meaning in that.
2. Sleep quality: Even in our fast-paced lives, we can’t forget that our brains need to rest and reset. Sleep helps your brain clear waste and consolidate memories.
3. Diet: It’s important to monitor our calorie intake, limit our salt intake, and ensure access to fruits and vegetables. Good choices include the Mediterranean diet or MIND diet, which include antioxidant-rich foods like leafy greens and berries. That doesn’t mean you have to buy expensive fresh blueberries, though—generic-brand frozen berries are just as good for you.
4. Prevention: Stay in touch with your primary care provider and get your annual screening. This can help you notice problems early.

Maybe some of these recommendations don’t work for you right now—and that’s okay. I recommend starting where you can and modifying the parts that feel unachievable later.

Is Prevention Important to Brain Health?

The field of neurology has really transformed in recent decades. We can do so much more for our patients than we used to—a patient who comes in with a stroke, for instance, has a better chance than ever to make a full recovery. 

But despite all these advancements, there are still so many people living with neurological conditions. Data supported by the American Academy of Neurology shows that one out of two people in the United States is affected in some way by a neurological disease or disorder.

That brings us to preventive neurology. We need to identify people who are at risk so we can treat them early and change the trajectory of their brain health.

Importantly, this is where your primary care provider could help. Many people already talk to their health care provider about heart disease prevention during their recommended annual screening, but brain health needs to be part of the conversation, too. 

How Does Brain Health Affect Families, Communities, and Society?

When somebody has a stroke, dementia, or any other neurological condition, the whole family is affected. That comes with a lot of stress and worries, but it also comes with opportunities. For example, when I have a patient with stroke in my office and they’ve come with family members, it’s a chance for me to check in with everyone in the room: “How about you? Have you checked your blood pressure? When was the last time you had a check-up?”

More broadly, when individual people are healthier, happier, and socially engaged, that benefits the entire community, so promoting better brain health for one person benefits us all.

Who Is Responsible for Brain Health?

Everyone. It starts at an individual level—doing the things you can, to protect your own brain health. Then there are your friends and family, where you’re thinking about your parents, your siblings, your children, your loved ones, and the next generation. Finally, the conversation needs to reach our public health leaders and policymakers.

Key Takeaways

• Brain health is the overall condition of your brain that will help you be as socially active, cognitively engaged, and mentally sharp as possible, so you can have meaningful, joyful interactions with the rest of the world.
• You can practice good brain health at any age, even if you have a neurological condition.
• Physical activity, social engagement, diet, and sleep are important for individual brain health. 
• Prevention is a growing discussion in neurology. By preventing problems or catching them early, people can live healthier lives.
• It’s never too early or too late to improve your brain health.
• Brain health is important beyond you as an individual. By advocating within our communities and societies, we can promote brain health for all. 

- As told to Val Lick

Behnam Sabayan, MD, PhD, MSc, FAHA, is a vascular and preventive neurologist and neuroepidemiologist at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute and an associate professor of neurology at the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on vascular and social factors in brain health and aging.