When June arrives, our minds usually drift to thoughts of summer vacations, backyard BBQs, and patio nights. But June also marks a deeply important global movement: Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month.
With millions of families worldwide impacted by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, this month is about more than just wearing a purple ribbon. It’s an invitation to look inward and ask: What am I doing to take care of the most complex organ in my body today?
The truth is, many of us treat brain health as a “down the road” issue. However, groundbreaking research from organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association shows that the foundations for long-term cognitive health are built right now, through our daily habits.
If you want to protect your memory, boost your daily mental clarity, and proactively lower your risk of dementia, here are four science-backed, brain-healthy habits you can start practicing this month.
1. Break a Sweat (Your Hippocampus Will Thank You)
If there was a magic pill for brain health, it would be exercise. Physical activity isn’t just about heart health or building muscle; it directly impacts your brain’s structure.
Regular aerobic exercise increases the size of the hippocampus—the specific area of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning. When you get your heart pumping, your body releases a protein called BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which essentially acts like fertilizer for your brain cells, promoting the growth of new neurons.
- Your June Action Step: You don’t need to train for a marathon. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. Go for a brisk evening walk, take a bike ride, or try a summer morning swim.
2. “Cross-Train” Your Brain
Many people think doing the same crossword puzzle every morning is the ultimate cognitive workout. While it’s great, your brain thrives on novelty. Once your brain gets comfortable with a specific task, it stops working as hard.
To build cognitive reserve—the brain’s ability to improvise and find alternate ways of getting a job done—you need to challenge it with unfamiliar tasks.
- Your June Action Step: Do something that makes you feel like a beginner again. Start learning a few phrases of a new language on an app, pick up a musical instrument, play a strategic board game, or challenge your spatial awareness by trying to brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand.
3. Treat Sleep as Non-Negotiable Brain Maintenance
Think of sleep as your brain’s nightly housekeeping service. When you fall into a deep sleep, your brain activates its glymphatic system—a waste-clearance system that literally flushes out metabolic debris and toxins, including the beta-amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Consistently cutting your sleep short doesn’t just leave you groggy; it deprives your brain of the time it needs to clean house and consolidate memories.
- Your June Action Step: Track your numbers. Aim for a consistent 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. If you suspect you have sleep issues like sleep apnea (which heavily impacts cognitive health), make this the month you talk to a doctor about it.
4. Lean into the Mediterranean Style of Eating
What is good for your cardiovascular system is almost always good for your grey matter. Chronic inflammation and poor vascular health can restrict blood flow to the brain, accelerates cognitive decline.
The Mediterranean and MIND diets—which emphasize whole foods, leafy greens, berries, nuts, seafood, and healthy fats like olive oil—are packed with antioxidants that neutralize the oxidative stress that damages brain cells.
- Your June Action Step: Make a simple swap this week. Swap out highly processed snacks or sugary sodas for a handful of walnuts and a bowl of fresh summer blueberries (nature’s ultimate brain food!).
Go Purple and Start the Conversation
Awareness blooms when we talk about the things that matter. Alzheimer’s can be a scary topic, but being proactive about our brain health gives us power.
This June, we encourage you to join the movement. Wear purple, share your story if your family has been touched by dementia, and most importantly, pick one habit from this list to implement into your daily routine. Your future self will thank you.
How are you taking care of your mind this month? Let us know in the comments below which brain-healthy habit you’re focusing on for June!
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