Boost your cognition

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Different persons have different levels of Cognitive Reserve. Your cognitive reserve largely decides how resistant your brain is to dementia. Physically healthy people have a larger cognitive reserve and have a smaller risk for dementia. Did you know that we could avoid half of all dementias if we could eliminate all of these risk factors?! By taking care of these 14 modifiable risk factors, you will minimize your risk of demantia.

 Education and cognitive stimulation play a key role in brain health and dementia risk. It’s not just the length of schooling, but the quality and depth of your education that matter. Similarly, having a mentally demanding job—one that pushes you to solve problems, adapt, and think creatively—has been shown to reduce the likelihood of dementia. Computerized cognitive training may offer a small boost, but clinical benefits remain uncertain. The key is to keep challenging your brain to help maintain your cognitive health.

Hearing loss often goes unnoticed but can raise dementia risk by reducing cognitive stimulation and fostering loneliness or depression. Every 10-decibel decrease in hearing may increase dementia risk by 4–24%. The good news: hearing aids and early interventions can help preserve cognitive health and lower dementia risk.

Depression can limit social contact and self-care, while excess cortisol may shrink the hippocampus—key for memory. Together, these factors raise dementia risk. Timely, effective treatment helps maintain cognitive function, reduce stress, and safeguard overall well-being.

Brain injuries can raise dementia risk. Although sports-related head injuries have drawn attention, the risk increase is modest, and regular exercise lowers dementia risk and has other health benefits. Practical steps—like using helmets, driving safely, and moderating alcohol—help prevent injuries and support your long-term cognitive health.

Smoking is a well-established risk factor for dementia, as well as numerous other serious health conditions. The good news is that quitting smoking at any stage can help lower your dementia risk compared to continuing. Even long-time smokers gain significant health benefits by stopping. It’s never too late to protect your brain and body—if you smoke, consider quitting now.

Elevated cholesterol levels—particularly high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol—have been linked to an increased risk of stroke and harmful protein deposits in the brain, both of which raise the risk of dementia. For LDL levels above 3 mmol/L, the likelihood of developing dementia can increase by up to 33%. Encouragingly, lowering LDL by just 1 mmol/L may reduce dementia risk by approximately 8%. Adopting a healthier diet, losing excess weight, and using statin medications have all demonstrated benefits in lowering LDL levels and helping protect against dementia.

Regular exercise at any age improve brain health and cognition. By improving blood flow, reducing high blood pressure, and decreasing nitric oxide levels, exercise may enhance brain plasticity and lower neuroinflammation. In fact, people who regularly engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity often have larger brain volumes compared to those who remain inactive. So, find an activity you enjoy, get moving, and keep your brain healthy.

People with diabetes have an increased risk of dementia, though the exact causes aren’t fully understood. One theory is that diabetes-related damage to blood vessels can lead to tiny, often unnoticed “silent” strokes in the brain. Additionally, insulin resistance may promote the buildup of harmful proteins and ongoing inflammation, both linked to dementia. The encouraging news is that better diabetes management—through improved blood sugar control, weight loss, and healthy lifestyle choices—may help reduce this risk, supporting both brain health and overall well-being.

Having high blood pressure (hypertension) raises your chances of developing dementia. It does this in two main ways: directly affecting the brain’s blood vessels and by increasing the risk of stroke, which can damage brain tissue. While the evidence isn’t fully conclusive, bringing your blood pressure under control through appropriate medications may help lower the risk of dementia.

Carrying excess weight increases your risk of dementia both directly and indirectly, through associated factors like cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, inactivity, and diabetes. Research suggests that loosing weight with as little as 2 kg can help lower your dementia risk. Taking steps toward a healthier weight—through improved diet and regular exercise—may help support both your heart health and your brain health.

Excessive alcohol consumption harms your brain in multiple ways. Ethanol directly damages brain cells, increasing the risk of dementia and other neurological conditions. Heavy drinking also raises the likelihood of accidents and brain injuries that further elevate dementia risk. By reducing alcohol intake—even small changes—you can help preserve your cognitive health and lower your long-term dementia risk.

Long-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of numerous health problems, including dementia and stroke. People with pre-existing medical conditions are particularly vulnerable. On a positive note, research suggests that improving air quality can reduce dementia risk, highlighting the importance of clean air for maintaining brain health.

Untreated vision loss, particularly from cataracts or diabetic retinopathy, increases dementia risk. Shared disease processes or reduced visual input may explain this link. Early detection and treatment, such as cataract surgery, can help protect against dementia.

Lancet 2020;396(10248):413-446

Lancet 2024;404(10452):572-628