What top brain experts do to protect their memory
Sunday, 26 July 2026
If quizzed on your biggest health fear, chances are losing sharpness when it comes to brain function is up there. In fact, half of UK adults say they fear developing dementia more than any other health condition. But while around one in five of us mistakenly believes dementia is simply an inevitable part of growing older, there’s plenty we can do to protect our brain health and give ourselves the best chance of staying “with it” well into later life.
Some of us are already doing so, according to new research. Earlier this year, researchers studying so-called “super-agers” – older adults whose memory impressively rivals that of those decades younger – found they produced new brain cells at around twice the rate of their peers. This process, known as neurogenesis, is thought to help protect against age-related cognitive decline and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and has prompted questions about how we can preserve or even encourage the brain’s ability to renew itself.
While more research is needed on the process of neurogenesis – and how exactly we can harness these findings for our own brain health – it’s clear our everyday habits matter. So what do some of the world’s most renowned brain experts do to keep their brains healthy? From brain training to daily supplements, here are the science-backed tools they employ to keep their grey matter happy…
Take B vitamins (and buy a blood pressure monitor)
Prof Peter Garrard is a neurologist specialising in dementia at St George’s Hospital
“I take yeast and omega-3 supplements daily as I have slightly elevated cholesterol levels (personally, I feel taking a statin would be a sledgehammer to crack a nut). Elevated cholesterol is one of the risk factors associated with degenerative dementias, as well as cardiovascular disease (hypertension, diabetes and elevated cholesterol all, if untreated, give you a higher chance of developing dementia in later life).
I also take B vitamin supplements (B12, B6 and folic acid) to help keep my blood homocysteine (a naturally occurring amino acid) levels to a minimum. There is excellent evidence that lowering homocysteine is neuroprotective, although the Lancet Commission on dementia prevention still doesn’t recognise it as a modifiable risk factor (I see this as an oversight, which I’m hoping to help rectify with others).
Keeping an eye on blood pressure is important as it directly impacts brain health. I check mine a couple of times a week, as when it’s taken by a medical professional it usually goes up. I always recommend taking responsibility for your own health and tell patients to monitor their blood pressure at home if, like me, they have ‘white coat’ syndrome. If you experience elevated readings in a clinical setting, take your blood pressure twice daily at home and use the average (it could be that you don’t need medication if your readings are normal at home).
When it comes to keeping the brain healthy, I try to focus on living a fulfilling life and doing things that bring me joy. I tell my patients to think of something they really enjoy doing and learn to do it in a new way. For me, that’s learning Italian – I started in lockdown when I suddenly had time. If you enjoy something, you’re already halfway there.”
Aim for seven hours of sleep a night
Prof Barbara J Sahakian is a neuroscientist and professor of clinical neuropsychology at the University of Cambridge
“I’m firm about getting seven hours of sleep each night. Our study, published in Nature Aging in 2022, showed that seven hours of sleep is ideal for cognition, wellbeing and mental health in middle-aged to older adults. Sleep is when the brain reorganises and recharges itself, as well as removing toxic waste by-products, so it’s really important to get enough. It’s also very important for the immune system and for consolidating memories (what you learn during the day is consolidated at night, so you can remember it).
I try to do some ‘brain training’ each day, too. Learning increases something called neurogenesis – the process of producing new brain cells. Studies have shown that spatial learning (your brain’s ability to understand locations, distances, directions and shapes) can increase the size of the brain’s hippocampus. The hippocampus is important for learning and memory and is one of the first areas to be affected by the brain changes seen in Alzheimer’s disease.
While I’m lucky that my job means I’m always learning new things, it’s still important to keep your mind active in different ways, whether it’s something like learning chess or playing a musical instrument. Reading has significant benefits for brain health, cognition and wellbeing, too. I always go back to the Jane Austen classics Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, but I also really enjoy Tom Stoppard’s plays, such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”
Book in regular resistance training
Prof Ben Parris is Professor of Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience in Bournemouth University’s School of Psychology and co-founder of the university’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre
“When it comes to staving off memory decline in old age, my go-to is resistance training. While other things are undoubtedly important, such as sleep and a healthy diet, resistance training leads to clear and measurable changes in what are called myokines (hormones released following muscle contractions). These hormones are linked to neurogenesis and improvements in learning and long-term memory.
They also have beneficial effects on sleep, appetite and mood. Since ageing is associated with a decline in some myokine concentrations, exercise is a potentially very effective way to prevent this decline. Resistance exercise has been shown to decrease the rate of cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia.
Personally, I mix weights and bodyweight exercises (such as the trap bar for deadlifts, the leg press machine and bodyweight squats), training four to five days a week for about 45 minutes. I mainly work out at the gym first thing in the morning, but supplement this with exercises at home, too. If I have a bad night’s sleep or feel a little unwell, going to the gym gives me energy and restores my mental clarity – I feel great afterwards.
You don’t have to stick to resistance training – cardiovascular exercise has a similar effect (it’s probably best to do both since they might be associated with different myokine profiles). But obviously, there’s only so much time in a day…”
Get outdoors first thing
Dr Faye Begeti (@the_brain_doctor) is a neurology specialist doctor and neuroscientist at Oxford University Hospitals
“I head outdoors for natural light early every morning. Our brains contain a master clock that uses daylight to set our circadian rhythm, the internal cycle that governs our sleepiness and alertness levels. Getting bright light early in the day anchors that clock, which helps you feel alert in the morning and sleep better at night.
Most people don’t realise just how much stronger outdoor light is. Even on a grey, overcast day, outdoor light can be around 10 times brighter than a well-lit room, so a few minutes outside does far more for you than sitting by a window. On mornings when I can’t get outside, I use a light box at my desk. It isn’t a full substitute for real daylight, but it is a helpful cue for the brain when heading out first thing isn’t possible.
Playing weekly tennis is another non-negotiable. I’ve recently got back into it and think it’s one of the most efficient things I do for my brain because it brings together three factors that matter for brain health – movement, mental challenge and social connection. We know that physical activity releases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (a nourishing chemical that protects brain cells), and it’s even been shown to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.
As well as being physically beneficial, tennis also provides a mental challenge, and any mental challenge helps build what’s called ‘cognitive reserve’. This is extra spare brain capacity that allows us to keep functioning well even if we develop a condition that affects brain health. In the same way that having savings protects you from an unexpected financial burden, you can draw on this spare capacity if you develop a brain condition. The social connection element – one of the modifiable risk factors for dementia – and meaningful interaction help keep multiple brain networks active, too.”
Take vitamin D and get the shingles vaccine
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Justin Sauer runs the memory clinic at the Cromwell Hospital and works in memory services within the NHS
“The brain is one of the most highly vascularised organs in the body, which is why looking after your cardiovascular health and heart, in turn, looks after your brain – they’re very much connected. So the way I look at it, if something’s good for my heart, I know it’s going to be good for my brain, which is why I always make time for cardiovascular exercise.
It’s recommended we do 150 minutes of exercise a week, but I prefer to focus on not being sedentary and just moving as much as possible. I do a lot of fast walking or “rucking” (walking fast with a rucksack on) to and from work, as well as going to the gym three times a week for a mixture of cardio and resistance training.
There’s also mounting evidence supporting the new shingles vaccine, Shingrix. The evidence is quite strong that it reduces the risk of dementia by 17 to 25 per cent. It’s available on the NHS for some older adults and people with severely weakened immune systems, but younger people can also have it administered privately at a chemist, like I did (dementia often develops 15 to 20 years before we see symptoms). It’s thought to be helpful because it reduces brain inflammation, which may be protective against dementia.
My other daily must-do is taking vitamin D. While most of us get vitamin D through sunlight, in the darker months it’s important to top up, since there’s good evidence to show that it may help reduce the risk of cognitive impairment. I take it daily in the winter months and once a week in the summer.”