People are living longer than ever, which is great news for society as a whole—but it also raises a big question: How do we maintain a sharp, active mind into our later years? Over the last few decades, scientists and biogerontologists have gained significant insight into what causes the brain to age and, more importantly, how we can slow that process.
How does aging affect brain health?
By age 40, our brain starts to shrink by around 5% each decade. Hormones and neurotransmitters also drop, and the body’s regulatory systems work more slowly. Reduced blood flow means fewer nutrients and less oxygen for the brain, which makes it harder to repair damage or forge new neuron connections. As a result, thinking skills often slow down.
Not every cognitive skill ages at the same rate. For instance, verbal reasoning and spatial abilities generally remain stable, while memory and processing speed begin to decline by our 30s. Symptoms of cognitive aging include:
- Poor sleep quality
- Neurological disorders
- Memory loss
- Dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Increased inflammation
Preventing cognitive decline
Genetic factors play a role in how our brains age, but so do our lifestyle choices and social environment. On a basic level, better physical health directly supports better brain function.
Cardiovascular health
Cardiovascular health is crucial. Multiple studies suggest that poor cardiovascular health is one of the top risk factors for cognitive decline later in life. A 2021 study links cardiovascular risk factors such as body mass index, blood sugar, and high blood pressure with worse cognitive health later in life. And further research shows obesity and diabetes—also linked with heart disease—increase the risk of developing dementia.
Lifestyle factors
Lifestyle factors like heavy drinking and smoking also harm long-term brain health.
Longitudinal studies found that moderate exercise, not smoking, limited alcohol, mental activities and a balanced ‘Mediterranean’ diet collectively lower the odds of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
In fact, adopting 4-5 of these healthy behaviors can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 60%, while even 2-3 behaviors lowers it by 37%.
Biohacking your cognitive age
Biohacking is all about using scientific research to optimize your body’s biology through intentional lifestyle tweaks. In the context of brain health, it leverages the concept of neuroplasticity—your brain’s ability to adapt and rewire itself throughout life.
The 5 tips below may sound simple, but they pack a powerful punch when it comes to improving cognitive function and brain performance.
1. Maintain regular physical activity
Your body and brain are deeply intertwined. Regular exercise pumps oxygen-rich blood into the brain, helping it rebuild and refine neuronal pathways. It also promotes improved hippocampal volume—the region associated with memory and learning.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is particularly effective for increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a protein that supports neuron growth and cognitive function. A 2024 study found that HIIT significantly boosted hippocampal-dependent cognition in older individuals compared to other exercise formats.
If you want to keep your brain sharp for longer, opt for Reduced Exertion HIIT (REHIT) on CAROL Bike—the shortest, most effective workout. It’s scientifically proven to deliver superior health and fitness benefits compared to regular cardio exercise in 90% less time.
CAROL’s AI personalization tailors the workout to you and helps you push to your limits during 2×20-second sprints. Research shows this is the most effective way of improving cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health. At the end of an 8-week REHIT program, participants’ blood pressure was lowered by 5%, triglycerides (fat found in the blood) decreased by 10%, good cholesterol (HDL) increased by 6%, and blood sugar was down by 2%. Additionally, REHIT improves VO2max by 12% and increases the blood plasma volume to better nourish the brain.
Regular strength training can help you improve the neural drive needed to control movements. During heavy and rapid contractions, motor neurons are activated and send signals from the brain to muscle at high frequencies. An increase in muscular strength without noticeable muscle growth is a tangible demonstration that the brain learns to use muscles more effectively.
REHIT on CAROL Bike is scientifically proven to deliver superior health and fitness benefits compared to regular cardio exercise in 90% less time.
2. Train your mind through meditation
There’s growing evidence that mindfulness practices can promote healthy aging. A systematic review of studies in this field suggests that meditation can offset age-related cognitive decline and dementia in older adults. This practice has been shown to slow the brain waves—increasing its ability to reorganize.
Experienced meditators have been found to have more preserved brain structures and improved cognitive functions, such as attention span, compared to their peers. Mindfulness meditation makes you more aware of the physical sensations and the sounds around you. As a result, this practice increases gray matter in several areas of the brain, including the auditory and sensory cortex, insula, and sensory regions.
Further research shows that regular meditation can result in lower cortisol levels, which in turn helps manage anxiety, depression, and poor sleep—common issues that escalate with age.
Just 15-20 minutes per day can profoundly influence how your brain deals with stress, improving overall clarity and attention.
3. Fuel your brain with the right nutrients
Your neurons need proper fuel. Fatty acids, antioxidants, and minerals such as iron, zinc, and iodine are nutritional foundations for a healthy brain.
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, walnuts, and chia seeds are particularly critical for normal brain function and well-being. They support the production of BDNF protein, increasing learning abilities, memory, and blood flow in the brain. A diet rich in Omega-3s has been shown to protect against neurodegenerative diseases.
Polyphenols found in plant-based foods such as berries are effective in combating free radicals and reducing oxidative stress and chronic inflammation in the brain.
The basic list of products rich in vital elements for your brain health can be found in the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet. It consists of 10 food groups you should eat and 5 groups to avoid. The foods that enhance brain health include vegetables (especially leafy greens), berries, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, seafood, beans, and poultry. It is recommended to limit dairy, red meat, fried foods, sweets, and pastries. Studies show that following this simple diet can slow down brain aging by a huge 7.5 years.
4. Keep learning
Mental stimulation—from reading and learning new skills to playing intellectual games like Sudoku—builds up a “cognitive reserve,” essentially a buffer that helps protect against age-related decline.. Studies show higher levels of cognitive activity correlate with a 50% lower risk of dementia over a 4–5 year span.
Memory and cognitive skills can be trained just like muscles. Mental stimulation work includes memory games, chess, learning new languages and skills, solving Sudoku, puzzles, and crosswords. Although little research has been done in this field, a small clinical trial showed that brain training and puzzle games can improve not only memory, but also the brain’s executive functions and processing speed. What’s more, puzzle games like crosswords and Sudoku are thought to improve attention span, reading capabilities, and memory, slowing the brain’s aging by roughly 8–10 years.
Evidence suggests that video games have also been linked to positive structural changes in the brain, as well as improved cognitive functions.
5. Stay socially engaged
Research shows that just 10 minutes of social interaction daily helps sharpen memory and attention. In contrast, loneliness and isolation lead to decreased brain functions including decision-making, planning, cognitive flexibility, and attention control, which can undermine cognitive function and increase dementia risk. Of all types of interactions, family and romantic relationships have the strongest impact on mental health. For one thing, other people provide us with stimulating activities that require us to use memory and verbal skills. Additionally, social support significantly reduces stress levels.
Maintaining family connections, finding new friendships, and engaging with the community through volunteering, interest groups, and other activities will help you preserve your cognitive function into the later decades of life.
Conclusion
An alert, nimble brain keeps you vibrant, motivated, and able to enjoy life—even in later decades. By combining exercise, mindful eating, ongoing learning, and strong social ties, you can significantly delay cognitive decline. That’s the real power of biohacking: small, intentional actions that yield big, long-term rewards.
And remember, 5-minute REHIT workouts like those on CAROL Bike can fit into any schedule, helping you build a habit that supports physical fitness and, by extension, cognitive health. Because when you take care of your body, you’re taking care of your mind, too.
Got a question? Let's book a call.
All our experts have MSCs in Exercise Science, and they’re here to answer your questions. Whether it’s about the science behind CAROL Bike, or general fitness advice, whatever’s on your mind—we’re here for you.
