“In the marathon that is caregiving, the difference between exhaustion and endurance isn’t willpower. It’s the strength of the support network we build around us — and the health of our own brains.” Shelby Roberts
Are you worried about your loved one’s brain health but neglecting your own? Do you think you don’t have time to focus on yourself? Here’s some encouraging news: research shows that even modest lifestyle changes can significantly improve your brain health and reduce your risk of cognitive decline.
We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia, we understand the unique challenges caregivers face. Studies show that dementia family caregivers often have higher risk of cognitive decline than the general population because of the stress and demands of caregiving.
There is also good news: groundbreaking research from the Alzheimer’s Association’s US POINTER study shows that individuals making specific behavior changes over time can significantly improve their brain health. Participants in the program’s structured lifestyle clinical trial, improved their cognition by two years — performing like someone two years younger than when they started.
We talked with Shelby Roberts, Senior Director of Public Health for the Alzheimer’s Association, about protecting your brain health and reducing your risk of cognitive decline. Let’s explore three essential tips for building better brain health.
Tip 1: Learn About the 10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain
The Alzheimer’s Association has synthesized decades of research into 10 healthy habits that protect your brain. Many of these habits may sound familiar: exercising, eating right, getting enough sleep, knowing your blood pressure. What’s new is understanding their direct impact on brain health. This is where the US POINTER Study comes in.
The US POINTER Study Results: Both groups improved their brain health. One group received information about brain health, while the other participated in a structured lifestyle program with coaching. This two-year randomized control trial provided groundbreaking evidence. The structured program group showed statistically significant improvements, with participants improving their cognition by two years.
Here are some key habits from the Alzheimer’s Association’s recommendations:
Exercise for Your Brain: The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week. Aerobic activity — the kind that gets your heart pumping and makes you sweat — is particularly important because it increases blood flow to your brain.
The US POINTER study includes aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility work. Strength training is especially important for caregivers who need physical strength for tasks like helping with toileting or clothing changes. If you’re new to strength training, please consider working with a personal trainer to learn proper technique and avoid injury.
Challenge Your Mind: Your brain needs exercise just like your body. The US POINTER study includes brain games, brain challenges, and group coaching sessions. “Stay in school” is actually one of the 10 healthy habits — the more structured education people have, the lower their rates of cognitive decline and dementia.
Learning doesn’t stop when structured education ends. The key is to keep learning new things throughout your life. Once you master something, move on to the next challenge while continuing to enjoy what you’ve learned.
Sue shares her experience:
I wanted to learn Spanish, so I found someone to stay with my husband and attended a community program. It challenged a different part of me. You really have to pay attention, and I liked that because it got me out of what I had been thinking about and focusing on.
Learning something new serves double duty for caregivers — it’s good for your brain health AND provides respite by changing your focus and getting you around different people.
Nutrition Matters: Participants in the US POINTER study followed The MIND Diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean diet with lower salt intake (similar to the DASH diet).
Don’t let diet names overwhelm you. The important components of all of them are simple:
- Eat lean proteins
- Include lots of fruits and vegetables
- Limit processed foods as much as possible.
As Shelby reminded us:
None of us are ever perfect on every single day, but if you’re taking those important tenets of the MIND Diet, then you can really improve your nutrition and the fuel you’re giving your body.
Nancy acknowledged the reality many caregivers face:
Sometimes, especially when you’re a dementia family caregiver, knowing what you should eat and what you did eat are not always the same thing. We stress eat and we just don’t have time to focus on ourselves.
Tip 2: Know Yourself — Assess Where You Are
Before you can change a habit, it’s important to understand your current habits. Track your behaviors for several days to get a realistic picture of where you are:
- How much sleep are you getting each night?
- How much physical activity do you get daily? (Check your phone or watch if it tracks steps)
- What are you actually eating versus what you think you should eat?
Try the Brain Health Habit Builder: The Alzheimer’s Association has created a new tool that makes self-assessment easy. This quick quiz goes through all 10 healthy habits and lets you report how you’re doing on each one.
One of the best parts — you don’t even need to provide your email. The assessment immediately gives you a personalized report showing which habits you’re doing well at and which ones to focus on improving.
This tool helps you identify specific areas to make changes without feeling overwhelmed by trying to address everything at once.
Tip 3: Pick a Place to Start — You Don’t Have to Do Everything!
This is perhaps the most important tip: You don’t have to tackle all 10 healthy habits at once. You don’t have to follow the complete US POINTER recipe immediately. Start where you feel ready to start.
The Three Keys to Behavior Change:
- Knowledge: You need information to make informed choices (this is Tip 1).
- Self-awareness: You need to know where you currently are (this is Tip 2).
- Action: Pick one place to start and begin there (this is Tip 3).
As Shelby emphasized:
If you’re at a place where making changes feels impossible today, that’s okay. Wait until you feel you have the time and space to focus on yourself and pick a place where you want to start to change.
Start small. Even modest lifestyle changes can help protect your brain health. The important thing is to just start somewhere.
Additional Resources from the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association offers extensive resources beyond brain health information:
24/7 Support Helpline: Call 1–800–272–3900 anytime. Someone will answer 24/7 to answer your questions about Alzheimer’s, any other types of dementia, or brain health. Help is available in your preferred language through their bilingual staff or interpreter service. It provides support in more than 200 languages.
Important Note: The Alzheimer’s Association supports all types of dementia, not just Alzheimer’s disease. While Alzheimer’s represents 65% of dementias, you’ll find valuable resources for frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and all other forms.
Brain Health Resources: Visit alz.org/brainhealth to access:
- The complete list of 10 healthy habits (printable to hang on your wall).
- The Brain Health Habit Builder tool.
- Detailed information about the US POINTER study.
- Specific guidance on each healthy habit.
Just Start
Protecting your brain health doesn’t require perfection — it simply requires progress. The research is clear: even modest lifestyle changes can significantly improve your brain health and reduce your risk of cognitive decline.
Studies show that caregivers with better brain health habits experience less burnout and have higher satisfaction in their caregiving role. By following these three tips — learning about the 10 healthy habits, knowing yourself, and picking a place to start — you can take meaningful steps toward protecting your cognitive health.
Keep in mind: what’s good for your heart is also good for your brain. Small changes add up over time. You don’t have to do everything, and you don’t have to do any of the options perfectly — you just have to start somewhere.
How have you prioritized your brain health? What steps you’re taking are you finding most valuable for you? Share your experiences in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages.
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