The #1 Lifestyle Change to Protect Your Memory, According to a 16-Year Study

Many people go to great lengths to protect their cardiovascular health as they age, typically by adopting a healthier diet or incorporating a regular exercise routine. But when it comes to our cognitive health, it’s not usually as straightforward. At times, it can feel like supplements and “mental workouts” are the only available options. However, scientists now say that focusing on a lifestyle change that prioritizes your overall well-being can be an effective way to help protect your memory as you age.

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A recent study investigated the relationship between well-being and memory.

The latest findings come from a study published in the journal Aging & Mental Health. An international team of researchers in the U.S., U.K., and Spain looked at data from 10,760 men and women aged 50 and older in Britain who had not yet been diagnosed with cognitive decline or dementia.

Each participant self-reported nine separate times on their overall wellbeing and memory as part of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Each report was two years apart, during a 16-year period starting in 2002, per a press release.

To gauge their memory, researchers asked each participant to list back 10 words they were given after a brief delay. They also completed a nine-item quality of life questionnaire in which participants ranked responses to questions such as “I can do the things that I want to do” and “I feel that life is full of opportunities.” Ultimately, they covered areas including pleasure, control, autonomy, and self-realization.

To specify what they were gauging, the team said that well-being was defined as “a multifaceted construct which comprises a combination of emotional health (e.g. happiness, confidence) and effective functioning (e.g., control over life, sense of purpose).”

Happier people had improved cognitive health.

After analyzing the data, the results showed that participants who reported better mental well-being also performed better on their memory tests. The authors clarified that this was especially true when they adjusted the findings to account for clinical depression.

The researchers also pointed out that there was a likely connection between other physical health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, and a person’s physical capabilities that carried over into the relationship between well-being and memory.

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So, what does this mean?

Ultimately, the team concluded that the findings suggest a focus on overall well-being—including both the physical and mental elements that determine it—could be an effective way to help combat cognitive decline in seniors.

“In the context of an ageing population, understanding factors that may protect and maintain healthy cognitive function is critical for enhanced population health and health policy development,” Amber John, PhD, the study’s lead author and a lecturer in psychology at the University of Liverpool and a current Alzheimer’s Research U.K. fellow, said in a press release.

She added that while there is no conclusive evidence to determine whether memory issues cause a decline in well-being or vice versa, their findings still suggest that focusing on the former could improve the latter.

“This suggests that the link between wellbeing and memory is not just because people with poor memory have poor wellbeing, and that, if causality is demonstrated, improving wellbeing could protect against subsequent memory decline,” John added.

The team hopes further research will build on their findings.

The team was quick to point out several limitations to the study. Besides the fact that the data was self-reported, it also suffered from a decrease in participants over the 16-year follow-up period. Still, the team concluded that a dip in psychological well-being might be helpful in predicting a drop in cognitive function.

“This study found that people over 50 who reported they felt happier and more fulfilled in life had a better memory over time,” Emma Taylor, information services Manager at Alzheimer’s Research U.K., which funded the study, said in a press release. “However, this research is observational—and more work is needed to understand how a positive well-being and memory are connected and whether this has a knock-on effect on dementia risk.”

“Looking after our mental wellbeing plays an important part in our overall health. And it’s never too late to start taking steps to keep our brains healthy throughout our lives and lessen the devastating impact of dementia,” she said.

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The takeaway:

A group of researchers used data from more than 10,000 people to determine if there was a connection between well-being and cognitive decline. Using a questionnaire and simple memory test over a 16-year follow-up period, the researchers found that participants who reported high well-being were also more likely to have stronger memory.

The team concluded that while further research was needed, focusing on physical well-being and maintaining a positive mental outlook could help stave off cognitive decline. A dip in well-being might also help predict a dip in cognitive health.

“This study represents an important step toward understanding the interplay between well-being and memory over time. It offers new insights into how self-rated wellbeing is associated with memory and vice versa,” Joshua Stott, PhD, one of the study’s co-authors and a professor of ageing and clinical psychology at University College London (UCL), said in the press release. “While our findings are preliminary, they highlight the importance of considering psychosocial influences on brain health, such as memory.”