Get enough sleep
During sleep, the body heals and recharges itself. The brain, in particular, flushes away toxins, which researchers found lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s. Another study, published in the journal Neuroscience, found that people who were taught specific finger movements (like hitting piano keys) were better able to recall them after 12 hours of rest.
“When you’re asleep, it seems as though you are shifting memory to more efficient storage regions within the brain,” said study author Matthew Walker, Ph.D., of the BIDMC’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory.
Recommendation: The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults of every age get seven to nine hours of sleep nightly—no more, no less. Oversleeping has been correlated with a higher risk of dementia.
