A new study has identified five lifestyle factors that could help keep the brain "eight years younger" than its actual age. The research, published in the Brain Communications journal, found that people who maintained healthy lifestyle habits had a younger brain age, with some participants' brain age being up to eight years less than their real age.
The study, which analyzed data from over 100 adults aged 45 to 85, found that the five most important protective factors for brain age were maintaining good sleep hygiene, maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding tobacco, practicing good stress management strategies, and maintaining positive social ties. These factors were particularly beneficial for people living with chronic pain, a condition that is typically linked to cognitive decline.
The study's findings suggest that positive habits can have a long-term impact on brain health, with participants who maintained the healthiest lifestyle habits continuing to show younger brain ages after a two-year period. This suggests that making simple changes to daily habits could have a significant impact on cognitive health and potentially delay the effects of aging.