Brain health tips: Neurosurgeon shares 5 simple habits that help

The brain works tirelessly to help us think, remember, decide, and feel. Neuroscience suggests that the overall ‘fitness’ of the brain highly depends on daily habits. As it turns out, seemingly simple lifestyle patterns can shape the structure, connectivity, and resilience of the brain over time.
Highlighting the importance of consistency, balance, and protection for long-term brain resilience, US-based neurosurgeon Dr. Jay Jagannathan shared 5 simple habits that help improve brain health and function, when done consistently. Let’s take a closer look:

Dr. Jay says, it is very important to have 6 to 8 hours of sleep every night. He adds that sleep schedules should be disciplined and consistent. Scientific studies back this up: for example, one randomized trial found that adults who maintained at least 7 hours of stable sleep per night showed significant improvements in working memory and attention compared with nights of restricted or inconsistent sleep.

Dr. Jay says it is important to practice strength training for people who work long standing hours. He recommends practicing strength training 2-3 days a week.
There’s growing scientific evidence showing that regular strength training can do more than build muscle, it can also boost brain health. A recent randomised study involving older adults with mild cognitive impairment found that twice-weekly weight training over six months led to memory improvements and helped preserve brain structure in regions typically vulnerable to cognitive decline.

Neurosurgeon Dr. Jay talks about the mind-body interface and recommends practicing yoga and meditation.
A 2024 systematic review of meditation and mindfulness studies found that regular practice can induce neuroplastic changes: increasing cortical thickness, improving connectivity between brain regions, reducing reactivity of the emotional-centre, and enhancing brain function related to emotional regulation, cognition and stress resilience.

Dr. Jay emphasizes the importance of ‘recognizing’ burn out before it ‘owns you’. Studies also suggest that unchecked burnout and chronic stress aren’t simply mental burdens, they may trigger structural and functional changes in the brain that undermine long-term cognition and emotional health.
Studies show that extended stress over many years correlates with reduced grey-matter volume in key regions such as the hippocampus, the area responsible for memory and learning, even in otherwise healthy individuals.

Talking about the ‘hero lifestyle’ that demands pushing through exhaustion, Dr. Jay says it is important for the brain to rest. Such a lifestyle may feel productive in the moment, but it can take a real toll on the brain over time.
A study on “mental fatigue” found that when participants took a break mid-task versus continuing without rest, their brain’s dynamic functional-connectivity recovered, helping restore global neural integration and improving later performance.