A healthy brain is critical during all stages of life, but for aging adults, maintaining cognitive health presents unique challenges. Mild, nonprogressive memory loss is common with aging, but symptoms such as frequently repeating stories, depression, and sleep problems may indicate more serious conditions such as cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), or another type of dementia. Although some risk factors are genetic, others can be mitigated by healthy lifestyle choices, including good nutrition (especially omega-3 fatty acids), regular aerobic exercise, proper hydration, and meditation. Maintaining social networks and challenging the brain with new activities may also help keep minds sharp.
A healthy brain is critical during all stages of life, but for aging adults, maintaining cognitive health presents unique challenges. Mild, nonprogressive memory loss is common with aging, but symptoms such as frequently repeating stories, depression, and sleep problems may indicate more serious conditions such as cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), or another type of dementia. Although some risk factors are genetic, others can be mitigated by healthy lifestyle choices, including good nutrition (especially omega-3 fatty acids), regular aerobic exercise, proper hydration, and meditation. Maintaining social networks and challenging the brain with new activities may also help keep minds sharp. 
