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- You may be ageing your brain without knowing it: Neurologists reveal how poor sleep and everyday habits could affect memory and cognitive health
You may be ageing your brain without knowing it: Neurologists reveal how poor sleep and everyday habits could affect memory and cognitive health
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These everyday choices that can keep your brain younger for longer
There is a quote often attributed to author and physician Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.: “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” The human brain is remarkable because it keeps adapting throughout life. It learns, repairs, remembers, and reshapes itself every single day.Yet many people unknowingly make small choices that slowly work against it. Sleeping for just four or five hours, spending late nights scrolling on a phone, skipping exercise, ignoring high blood pressure, or treating forgetfulness as “just getting older” may seem harmless in isolation. Over years, however, these habits can affect how well the brain functions.Brain ageing is natural. Rapid brain ageing is not. While no one can completely prevent ageing, experts say many of the factors linked to memory decline and cognitive problems are influenced by lifestyle. The good news is that it is never too early, or too late, to start protecting the brain.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), up to 45% of dementia cases could potentially be delayed or prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol use, poor hearing, depression, and social isolation.
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Your brain works the hardest when you are asleep
Many people believe sleep is simply a period of rest. Neurologists say that is far from the truth.During deep sleep, the brain is busy strengthening memories, organising information collected during the day, and clearing away waste products that build up in brain tissue. Scientists believe this overnight “housekeeping” is essential for keeping brain cells healthy.Dr Chalasani Vamsi, Consultant – Neurology, Manipal Hospital Vijayawada, said many people ask whether sleeping only four or five hours every night damages the brain.”The answer is rarely a simple yes or no. What I have seen in clinical practice, and what research continues to show, is that poor sleep over many years can affect how the brain functions and may increase the risk of age-related cognitive decline,” he said.He explained that while one sleepless night is unlikely to cause lasting harm, chronic sleep deprivation is a different story.”Sleep is when the brain gets time to carry out work that cannot happen as efficiently while you are awake. It strengthens memories, processes information from the day, and clears away waste products that build up in brain tissue. When you repeatedly cut sleep short, these processes become less efficient.”
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Forgetfulness isn’t always ageing, sometimes it’s a warning sign
Misplacing keys once in a while is normal. Forgetting a familiar route, losing track of conversations repeatedly, or struggling to concentrate every day deserves attention.Dr Vamsi said many people in their forties and fifties fear they are developing dementia when they notice memory lapses.”Many of them are sleeping poorly. Once their sleep improves, some notice that their attention, memory, and mental clarity improve too. That does not mean sleep is the only reason for memory problems. It does show how closely the two are connected.”Research has found that chronic sleep deprivation and untreated sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea are associated with changes in the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in learning and memory. Studies have also linked poor sleep with increased accumulation of beta-amyloid and tau proteins, which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease.Experts stress that brain health depends on several factors working together, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, exercise, smoking, genetics, and overall cardiovascular health.
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Your daily habits quietly shape your brain
The brain responds to repeated experiences. Just as muscles become stronger with regular exercise, the brain also builds stronger neural connections when it is challenged in meaningful ways.Dr Kapil Aggarwal, Director & Head of Neurology at Shalby International Hospital, said, “Ageing of the body and brain are both natural phenomena. But rapid decline is not simply acceptable or unavoidable. Research over the last decade has made it clear that the brain keeps changing throughout life, and your habits can affect it positively or negatively.”Learning something new does not have to mean enrolling in a university course. Reading books outside your comfort zone, learning a musical instrument, solving puzzles, painting, trying new recipes, or even understanding emerging technologies can stimulate new neural pathways. But staying busy is different from staying mentally healthy.
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The health of your heart and your brain are deeply connected
The brain makes up only about 2% of body weight, yet it uses nearly 20% of the body’s oxygen and energy. That is why healthy blood vessels are so important.High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol slowly damage blood vessels throughout the body, including those that supply the brain.Dr Aggarwal said, “The World Health Organization has clearly warned that what is good for the heart is generally good for the brain. Controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar is therefore not just about heart disease—it is also about preserving memory and cognitive function later in life.”Regular walking, cycling, swimming, or any moderate physical activity for 30 to 45 minutes most days improves blood circulation and supports chemicals that help brain cells survive.Protecting your brain starts with ordinary decisions, not expensive treatmentsPeople often search for supplements or miracle solutions to keep their memory sharp. Neurologists say the strongest protection usually comes from habits that seem ordinary but are repeated consistently.Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Keep a regular bedtime, reduce screen exposure before sleeping, and avoid excessive caffeine late in the day.Stay physically active. Keep learning new skills. Meet friends and family regularly instead of isolating yourself. Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and foods containing vitamin B12 and antioxidants. If loud snoring, gasping during sleep, or constant daytime tiredness become routine, seek medical advice instead of assuming it is a normal part of ageing.Dr Vamsi added, “Your brain changes with age. That is expected. How quickly those changes happen is influenced by many choices you make every day. Sleep is one of the few that you can improve starting tonight.”Perhaps that is the most reassuring message of all. Growing older is inevitable, but giving your brain the best chance to stay healthy is something that begins with today’s choices, not tomorrow’s.
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Medical experts consulted
This article includes expert inputs shared with TOI Health by:Dr Chalasani Vamsi, Consultant – Neurology, Manipal Hospital Vijayawada.Dr Kapil Aggarwal, Director &HOD- Neurology, Shalby International Hospital.Inputs were used to explain how poor sleep and everyday lifestyle habits can influence brain ageing, memory, and long-term cognitive health, along with expert-backed ways to help protect the brain.
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