How to Protect Your Brain as You Age

What if getting older doesn’t have to mean losing your memory? Learn how neuroplasticity, healthy habits, and simple memory exercises can help keep your brain strong at any age.

Summary: We often assume that getting older means our memory and brain function will inevitably decline—but emerging science tells a more hopeful story. On this episode of The Science of Happiness, we’ll explore how neuroplasticity, along with practices like memory exercises, stress reduction, sleep, exercise, and finding a sense of purpose, can support brain health as we age. 

How to Remember Where You Parked:

1. Pause before you walk away: Take a moment to look at your car and notice your surroundings.
2. Identify your location: Pay attention to the floor, row, section, level, or nearby landmarks.
3. Create a funny image: Turn the location into a memorable mental picture. For example, if you’re parked in section 4B, imagine four bears sitting inside your car.
4. Make it vivid: The sillier, stranger, or more ridiculous the image, the better. Let yourself have fun with it.
5. Take a mental snapshot: As you walk away, look back at your car and surroundings and imagine the funny scene there.
6. Use the image to find your car: When it’s time to leave, bring the funny image back to mind and use it to recall your section, floor, or location.

Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.

Today’s Guests:

CRYSTAL LEWIS works with high school students in Washington State, supporting them both in and out of the classroom. 

DR. MAJID FOTUHI is a neuroscientist, author, and professor at the Johns Hopkins Mind Brain Institute. 

Learn more about Dr. Majid Fotuhi: https://drfotuhi.com/

Related Science of Happiness episodes:

What To Do When Stress Takes Over: https://tinyurl.com/yxf3jawn

Are You Remembering the Good Times: https://tinyurl.com/ysbwrnr4

The Contagious Power of Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/y6bpvbv5

Related Happiness Break episodes:

The Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/rrtpje2x

A Meditation on the Uniqueness of Your Own Voice: https://tinyurl.com/36x3fbk7

The Unexpected Joy of Slow Looking: https://tinyurl.com/4uudwwc2

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Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/547b3ax4