Expert's Advice For 6 Daily Habits to Slow Ageing

Harvard scientist Rudolph Tanzi shares his recommendations for brain health and making sure you age well.

Credit: Brain Research Foundation

Long before “brain health” became a buzzword, Rudolph Tanzi was rewriting the science behind it and, during his four decade career, has written hundreds of journal articles that have helped shape modern understanding of neurodegenerative illness. Tanzi is also the architect of a lifestyle intervention plan for brain health known as SHIELD that emphasizes the importance of sleep, handling stress, interaction with others, exercise, eating well and learning.

Now 67, Tanzi told the Washington Post that his research helped him stay mentally sharp, physically active and deeply engaged with his work. Here are his six recommendations for making sure you age well.

Sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of high-quality sleep each night. Adequate rest is essential for brain function and memory. People often ask him for advice about what to do if they only got five or six hours of sleep, and he recommends power naps. “Even a short one in the office that results in a little drool on your desk - that’s good.” Indeed, a UCL study shows that napping during the day may slow down brain shrinkage and cancel out up to seven years of ageing, a study suggests.

Handling Stress: Minimize chronic stress, which has been linked to accelerated cognitive decline. Tanzi worries that the constant demands of modern life - such as from staying current on social media or responding to a steady stream of emails - have created unprecedented levels of stress. His strategy of choice for handling stress is meditation. Perhaps take a look at the Mayo Clinic's 5 Tips to Feel Less Stressed.

Interaction With Friends: Maintain an active social life. Loneliness is associated with a higher risk of neurodegenerative conditions. A recent Harvard study, conducted over 80 years, shows that a healthy social life is the secret to long-term health and happiness in men.

Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity to boost blood flow to the brain and support the growth of new neural connections. The evidence for this is extensive and consistent.

Learning New Things: Challenge your brain by trying new activities to strengthen neural pathways, such as using your non-dominant hand to write a new word every day.

Diet: Follow a brain-healthy diet to support long-term cognitive health. “This is the most important … to have a diet that makes the bacteria in your microbiome happy. We used to say what’s good for the heart is what’s good for the brain, and it turns out that’s true.” Adding foods that are rich in compounds to your diet can help nourish your mind and keep your brain in optimal condition.