We often think about blood pressure in terms of heart attacks or strokes, but have you considered its impact on your brain? Your heart health and your brain health are so closely related that the American Heart Association has declared “what’s good for the heart is good for the brain.”

If you’re already watching what you eat or staying active, you’re on the right track. In this article, we’ll explore the connection between weight and risk for dementia and the steps you can take to support your brain health by maintaining a healthy weight.

Studies show that unmanaged type 2 diabetes significantly increases the risk of developing dementia. The longer you live with uncontrolled diabetes, the greater the threat to your memory and thinking.

Smoking speeds up aging throughout the body, including the brain, and research shows it increases the risk of developing all types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, current smokers are 40% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, with the risk increasing the more a person smokes.

When it comes to preserving memory and cognitive abilities, most people think about things like brain games, exercise, and maybe keeping blood pressure in check. These are all important – and if you’re already taking walks or learning new skills to boost your brain health, you’re on the right path. But there’s another mid-life health factor you might not immediately connect with brain health: your vision.

Feeling sad is part of being human—but when sadness sticks around for more than two weeks and starts to interfere with your life, it could be depression. It isn’t about weakness or willpower; it’s a real medication condition caused by changes in brain chemistry. The good news?  Depression is treatable and treating it early could protect your brain from future problems with dementia.

Menopause is a natural transition - but it’s also a major shift that affects your whole body, including your brain. As estrogen levels fall during and after menopause, your brain’s chemistry, communication pathways and blood flow all change. These shifts can lead to symptoms like brain fog, memory lapses, and, for some women, an increased risk of cognitive decline or dementia.

Many of us diligently solve crossword puzzles, use brain-training apps, or read to keep our minds sharp. Those activities are fantastic – they challenge the brain and they’re fun. But did you know that untreated hearing loss can have an even bigger impact on your brain health than brain games?

Multiple long-term studies have found that people with high cholesterol in their 40s and 50s have about a 20–40% higher chance of dementia in old age compared to those with healthy levels.

88 million people in the United States live in areas with dangerously high levels of urban air pollution. Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been linked to faster memory loss and higher Alzheimer’s risk. Most people can’t simply move away from pollution, but you can take small, practical steps to lower your exposure and protect your brain.