Forgetting a name you know. Walking into a room and momentarily wondering why. Needing a little longer to find the right word.
Changes like these can become more common with age, but they don’t necessarily mean something is wrong with your brain.
“As we get older, the brain may need more time and energy to perform some of its most demanding tasks,” says Dr. Jean Lopez, a neurologist at White Plains Hospital Physician Associates. “That can show up as something as simple as taking longer to find the word you want.”
While some changes are a natural part of aging, Dr. Lopez says there are practical ways to help keep your brain functioning at its best.
Your Heart and Brain Are More Connected Than You Think
The brain depends on a healthy supply of blood and oxygen. Over time, conditions that affect the blood vessels can also affect the brain’s ability to efficiently meet the demands of thinking and memory.
That makes managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes — and avoiding smoking — important not only for cardiovascular health, but for brain health as well.
“A lot of what is good for your heart is also good for your brain,” Dr. Lopez says. “Protecting your blood vessels is one of the most important things you can do to support brain health as you age.”
Physical activity helps, too, by supporting the network of blood vessels that supplies the brain.
Give Your Brain Something New to Do
When it comes to exercising your brain, Dr. Lopez has one key word: novelty.
That means you don’t have to do crossword puzzles simply because you’ve heard they’re good for your brain. In fact, if you’re already great at a particular game or activity, your brain has become efficient at doing it. A new challenge may make it work harder.
Try learning an instrument, painting, dancing, playing an unfamiliar game or tackling another activity that requires you to develop a new skill.
“The goal isn’t to find the perfect ‘brain game.’ It’s to keep asking your brain to solve problems it hasn’t already figured out,” Dr. Lopez says.
Activities that involve multiple senses can be particularly engaging because they give the brain different kinds of information to process.
Don’t Underestimate Social Connection
One of the most valuable forms of brain stimulation doesn’t feel like an exercise at all: spending time with other people.
Dr. Lopez considers socialization one of the most underappreciated factors in maintaining cognitive function. A conversation requires your brain to listen, interpret information, retrieve memories, formulate responses and react in real time — all while reading social cues.
That also makes addressing hearing loss especially important. Research has linked hearing loss with increased dementia risk, while treating hearing loss with hearing aids can significantly reduce that risk.
Sleep and Eat With Your Brain in Mind
Sleep helps the brain consolidate long-term memories and perform important restorative functions. If you wake during the night, don’t immediately assume you’re sleeping poorly. Brief awakenings are a normal part of sleep.
Dr. Lopez recommends keeping a consistent wake time, going to bed when you’re actually sleepy and avoiding watching the clock during the night, which can make it harder to fall back asleep.
For nutrition, he points to the MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets and emphasizes vegetables, leafy greens, beans, whole grains, berries, nuts, fish and olive oil while limiting highly processed foods.
Something to Remember
You don’t need one special food, puzzle or supplement to keep your brain healthy. Think bigger: protect the blood vessels that supply your brain and keep giving your brain reasons to work.
Exercise. Learn something unfamiliar. Stay socially connected. Address hearing or vision problems. Get good sleep. Manage your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
“You don’t have to become an expert at something new,” Dr. Lopez says. “The benefit is in continuing to challenge yourself.”
This story originally appeared on Health Matters, a White Plains Hospital publication.
Dr. Jean Lopez is a neurologist at White Plains Hospital Physician Associates and sees patients at 750 White Plains Road in Scarsdale. To schedule an appointment, call 914.849.5300.
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14 Oct 2026
0 Commentsaging well starts with your brain
Forgetting a name you know. Walking into a room and momentarily wondering why. Needing a little longer to find the right word.
Changes like these can become more common with age, but they don’t necessarily mean something is wrong with your brain.
“As we get older, the brain may need more time and energy to perform some of its most demanding tasks,” says Dr. Jean Lopez, a neurologist at White Plains Hospital Physician Associates. “That can show up as something as simple as taking longer to find the word you want.”
While some changes are a natural part of aging, Dr. Lopez says there are practical ways to help keep your brain functioning at its best.
Your Heart and Brain Are More Connected Than You Think
The brain depends on a healthy supply of blood and oxygen. Over time, conditions that affect the blood vessels can also affect the brain’s ability to efficiently meet the demands of thinking and memory.
That makes managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes — and avoiding smoking — important not only for cardiovascular health, but for brain health as well.
“A lot of what is good for your heart is also good for your brain,” Dr. Lopez says. “Protecting your blood vessels is one of the most important things you can do to support brain health as you age.”
Physical activity helps, too, by supporting the network of blood vessels that supplies the brain.
Give Your Brain Something New to Do
When it comes to exercising your brain, Dr. Lopez has one key word: novelty.
That means you don’t have to do crossword puzzles simply because you’ve heard they’re good for your brain. In fact, if you’re already great at a particular game or activity, your brain has become efficient at doing it. A new challenge may make it work harder.
Try learning an instrument, painting, dancing, playing an unfamiliar game or tackling another activity that requires you to develop a new skill.
“The goal isn’t to find the perfect ‘brain game.’ It’s to keep asking your brain to solve problems it hasn’t already figured out,” Dr. Lopez says.
Activities that involve multiple senses can be particularly engaging because they give the brain different kinds of information to process.
Don’t Underestimate Social Connection
One of the most valuable forms of brain stimulation doesn’t feel like an exercise at all: spending time with other people.
Dr. Lopez considers socialization one of the most underappreciated factors in maintaining cognitive function. A conversation requires your brain to listen, interpret information, retrieve memories, formulate responses and react in real time — all while reading social cues.
That also makes addressing hearing loss especially important. Research has linked hearing loss with increased dementia risk, while treating hearing loss with hearing aids can significantly reduce that risk.
Sleep and Eat With Your Brain in Mind
Sleep helps the brain consolidate long-term memories and perform important restorative functions. If you wake during the night, don’t immediately assume you’re sleeping poorly. Brief awakenings are a normal part of sleep.
Dr. Lopez recommends keeping a consistent wake time, going to bed when you’re actually sleepy and avoiding watching the clock during the night, which can make it harder to fall back asleep.
For nutrition, he points to the MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets and emphasizes vegetables, leafy greens, beans, whole grains, berries, nuts, fish and olive oil while limiting highly processed foods.
Something to Remember
You don’t need one special food, puzzle or supplement to keep your brain healthy. Think bigger: protect the blood vessels that supply your brain and keep giving your brain reasons to work.
Exercise. Learn something unfamiliar. Stay socially connected. Address hearing or vision problems. Get good sleep. Manage your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
“You don’t have to become an expert at something new,” Dr. Lopez says. “The benefit is in continuing to challenge yourself.”
This story originally appeared on Health Matters, a White Plains Hospital publication.
Dr. Jean Lopez is a neurologist at White Plains Hospital Physician Associates and sees patients at 750 White Plains Road in Scarsdale. To schedule an appointment, call 914.849.5300.