5 EVERYDAY BEHAVIORS THAT NEUROLOGISTS AVOID FOR LONG-TERM BRAIN HEALTH

Dips in brain health with age might not be as apparent as, say, the loss of bounciness in your skin or mobility in your knees (save for the random memory lapse). But to neurologists and neuropsychologists—who spend their days addressing brain injuries and cognitive conditions—maintaining the function of their own brains long-term is, well, top of mind.

Much like with tending to any other body part or aspect of your health, supporting your brain isn’t about one or two things, or a newfangled fad or supplement, Antonio Puente, PhD, a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist and chief psychologist in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University, tells SELF. “It’s more of a lifestyle modification or set of behavior changes that over time can be helpful.” And that includes both engaging in some activities and refraining from others to stay sharp.

Read on to learn the common habits that neurologists themselves avoid, based on a growing body of research and the brain issues they’ve encountered firsthand.

1. They don’t sit for hourslong stretches.

It won’t come as a surprise that the brain experts SELF spoke with all try to notch some regular exercise, which is well-known to spark an immediate boost in mental clarity and even help stave off dementia. (Dr. Puente, for one, rides his bike 10 miles to and from work each day.) But they don’t just make room for capital-E Exercise. They also aim to avoid big sedentary swaths by just standing up and walking around for a few minutes or doing a bit of movement every hour or so (a habit your joints and muscles will thank you for as well).

Research suggests even little bouts of brisk exercise, as brief as five minutes a piece, can meaningfully lower your dementia risk. Dr. Puente makes a point to pop up from his desk and pace down the hallway when he has a free moment. Luis Compres Brugal, MD, a board-certified neurologist at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute, tells SELF he strolls outside his office during breaks. This way, he also gets the added benefit of a little sunshine and fresh air, which he says has a focus-boosting, de-stressing effect. The key is to take what bits of free time you have and fill them with bursts of movement—these add up and can make a difference for both short- and long-term brain health, Dr. Compres Brugal says.

2. They don’t get riled up over little things.

Some day-to-day stress is inevitable for everyone—and the physicians in this article are no exception. But Claudia Muñoz, MD, MPH, a board-certified neurologist and neurohospitalist in Emeryville, California, tells SELF she tries to at least temper her reaction to stressful scenarios, whenever possible.

The reason why has to do with the impact of worrying on the brain. Freaking out flips on the body’s fight-or-flight response, which evolved to protect us from life-threatening dangers, like saber-toothed lions, Dr. Muñoz says, but occurs all the same even if you’re spiraling about an Instagram post. This triggers a surge of neurotransmitters like adrenaline and other hormonal shifts, which you can think of as a “tiny domino falling,” she says. It may not have any noticeable consequence once the moment passes, but over time, a pileup of little dominos can have a harmful “downstream effect” on your brain, Dr. Muñoz explains.

It’s not that stress will necessarily put you on a path to dementia, she emphasizes, but rather that each time you get agitated, you reinforce certain negative tracks or networks within your brain (instead of fomenting positive ones), leading to unnecessary strain.

3. They don’t bypass a good night of sleep, if they can help it.

Getting a full seven to eight hours’ rest each night is a “non-negotiable” for Shae Datta, MD, a board-certified neurologist specializing in brain trauma at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, tells SELF. During sleep is when the brain naturally works to repair itself, she says, pointing to the glymphatic system, which flushes the organ of cellular junk (created through normal brain activities) that may otherwise accumulate and bump up your dementia risk. Hence why she maintains a strict bedtime between 9:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Sleep is also the time during which your brain sorts through the happenings of the day and stores key ones as memories, Dr. Puente says, so if you’re not getting enough of it, there’s a greater chance you wind up forgetting more experiences. It’s only human to lose sleep on occasion—he would know, as a proud dad of a four-year-old son—but he strongly resists the “glorification of hustle culture and not needing sleep” and is “rigid” about never intentionally getting less than eight hours himself.

Dr. Compres Brugal has adopted a few specific habits to avoid losing sleep, which he calls “the foundation of your mood, energy levels, and ability to learn new things and manage stress.” About an hour before he goes to sleep, he stops looking at screens, dims the lights, and does something relaxing, like reading a book, to soft-launch his brain into rest mode. And he also sticks to a single cup of coffee each morning and avoids caffeine outright later in the day, to keep it from tinkering with his sleep quality.

4. They don’t ride a wheeled vehicle without wearing a helmet.

It might not seem like a big risk to bike around sans head protection, but if you’re moving at even a standard running pace (say, 10 miles per hour) and certainly any faster, “the extent of damage your brain can sustain from a fall can be pretty significant,” Dr. Puente says.

Such a head injury can “categorically change your life,” and not just in terms of the immediate recovery required, Dr. Puente points out. Multiple studies have shown that a single brain injury, including a mild traumatic brain injury or TBI (a.k.a. a concussion), can significantly increase your risk of developing dementia later in life. It’s the reason Dr. Puente never hops on any open wheeled vehicle—including regular and electric bikes and scooters—without strapping on a helmet first.

5. They don’t drink much, if any, alcohol.

You’re likely acquainted with the mind-altering haze of being tipsy or drunk—but it’s the longer-term effects of alcohol on the brain that have pushed several of the experts SELF spoke with, including Dr. Puente and Dr. Datta, to bypass booze most of the time.

It’s been well-established that heavy drinking can, over time, damage neurons in the brain and inhibit the formation of new ones, eventually causing alcohol-related dementia. Newer research, however, also shows that even light drinking—consuming just one or two drinks a day—can mess with brain structure and integrity, and an observational study published in 2025 suggests drinking any amount of alcohol increases your risk of dementia down the line. These kinds of findings are what recently motivated Dr. Datta to go on a complete alcohol fast for almost two years; today, she says she drinks “on very special occasions.”

Ultimately, it may not be feasible or even optimal to cut all of these behaviors out of your life; we all have different lifestyles, Dr. Muñoz points out, and the occasional couch-potato day or cocktail-laden night isn’t going to set your brain on fire. What’s most important is “being aware of the broader risk [of these behaviors] and having some intentionality with your actions,” Dr. Puente says. This way, you can make informed decisions about what should have a place in your pursuit of health—and what shouldn’t.

Related:

• 6 Daily Habits Doctors Say Will Help You Live Longer
• Are There Any Foods That Can Actually Help Prevent Dementia?
• This Type of Hobby Can Keep Your Brain Young, New Science Says

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