10 Common Habits Neurologists Say to Quit—and Smarter Alternatives

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Protecting your brain can start with small changes. “There are things you can do now to protect brain health at any age,” says Wali Qayoumi, M.D., assistant clinical professor in the department of neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego. “About 80% of strokes are preventable, and even a small change may help reduce your risk of stroke and dementia.”

Little habits matter. “Small changes add up when it comes to brain health, and they tend to be more sustainable than overhauling your lifestyle,” says Vonetta Dotson, Ph.D., chief of neuropsychology in neurology at Mass General Brigham, author of Keep Your Wits About You: The Science of Brain Maintenance as You Age, and founder of CerebroFit Integrated Brain Health. “I often encourage my patients to think about one small change they can make to boost their brain health, stick with it until it becomes a habit, and then take another step.”

Some of the habits that support your heart also support your brain. “The U.S. POINTER study showed that a combination of a healthy diet, increased physical exercise, intellectual stimulation, social engagement, and cardiovascular risk factor monitoring improved cognitive performance,” says Arjun Masurkar, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of neurology and neuroscience at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

On the flip side, you may also have a few routines that are not doing your brain any favors. Here’s what neurologists recommend stopping to help prioritize brain health:

Treating sleep as something you can skip.

With busy schedules, sleep is often the first thing people sacrifice, but it should not be optional. “Sleep isn't just downtime for your brain. It's essential for memory, attention, emotional regulation, and many other aspects of cognitive functioning,” says Dotson. “Consistently shortchanging yourself on sleep can affect how well your brain functions right now, and chronic sleep problems have also been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia later in life.” Aim for 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep each night, and talk to your doctor if issues such as insomnia or sleep apnea are interfering with rest.

Smoking or vaping.

You probably know smoking harms the lungs and heart, but it can also increase stroke risk, affect memory, and contribute to other declines in cognitive function through oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in the brain. Alternatives like vaping and nicotine pouches are not harmless. “People often think vaping is ‘safer’ because they think it doesn’t expose you to the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco products,” says Dr. Qayoumi. “But it still contains nicotine, which is addictive and narrows blood vessels. In fact, research finds that vaping can increase risk of stroke by 50%.”

Staying sedentary all day.

This matters at any time, but especially if your work keeps you sitting for long stretches. “Lack of physical activity is one of the well-established risk factors for dementia,” says Dr. Qayoumi. “Bonus points if you get outdoors to walk in nature. Research has found that spending 20 to 30 minutes in a green space specifically lowers the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.”

If you can, aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. That can help limit age-related brain atrophy and may reduce the risk of dementia and stroke by preserving memory and thinking, improving sleep, and increasing cerebral blood flow, says Roberto Gomez, M.D., vascular neurology fellowship director, associate stroke director at University Hospital, and assistant professor of neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Biking without a helmet.

Serious crashes, especially involving e-bikes, are increasing. “We’ve seen an exponential increase in e-bike collisions from 2 in 2018 to 1,500 in 2024 in our ER,” says Dr. Qayoumi. “You can go so much faster on these machines, and it’s harder to stop, which makes it a recipe for disaster.” Wear a helmet to protect yourself—and make sure kids wear one too—when riding anything with two or four wheels.

Ignoring changes in your hearing.

Getting your hearing checked, and treated if needed, is one of the most overlooked ways to support brain health. Hearing loss is linked with an increased risk of dementia. “We don't always think of our senses as part of brain health, but hearing plays a critical role in how we interact with the world,” says Dotson. “When hearing declines, the brain has to work harder to interpret sounds, and people may begin to withdraw from conversations and social activities. Both of those factors may contribute to cognitive difficulties over time.” If you are turning up the TV more often or asking people to repeat themselves, it may be time for a hearing test because hearing loss is treatable.

Assuming stress, anxiety, or depression is just something to live with.

“Mental health is brain health. Chronic stress, anxiety, and depression can affect attention, memory, motivation, and many other aspects of cognitive functioning. Depression has also been associated with an increased risk of dementia,” says Dotson. “It's important not to assume that every episode of forgetfulness reflects a problem with memory itself. Sometimes the issue is that stress, anxiety, or depression is making it harder to concentrate, learn, and efficiently process information in the first place. Taking care of your emotional health isn't separate from taking care of your brain. It's an essential part of it.”

Stress can affect the brain in more ways than many people realize. “Stress can lead to poor sleep, unhealthy food consumption, and also medical issues such as high blood pressure which can damage the brain,” says Dr. Masurkar. “When we have stress we also isolate ourselves, which is not good for brain health.”

Using alcohol as your main way to unwind.

“Alcohol may make you feel relaxed in the moment, but it can interfere with sleep, impair judgment and memory, and affect emotional well-being,” says Dotson. “Heavy drinking is particularly concerning for brain health, and growing evidence challenges the long-held belief that moderate alcohol consumption is protective. Large imaging studies have found differences in brain structure among people who average as little as one to two drinks per day, with those differences becoming more pronounced as alcohol intake increases.”

If you drink, cut back. If you do not drink, there is no brain-health reason to start. Instead, try other ways to relax, such as physical activity, mindfulness practices, or spending time with people you enjoy.

Depending on energy drinks.

You might think they are a better caffeine source than coffee, but they are not a great choice for anyone. “These beverages may be less expensive than a pricey latte or may have less sugar than some beverages, but they can spike blood pressure and heart rates, increasing risk of a-fib related strokes,” says Dr. Qayoumi.

Chasing fad diets.

Forget the latest trend; one eating pattern has been consistently linked to better brain health. “The best thing that you can do to prevent brain diseases like stroke and dementia from the dieting perspective is the Mediterranean diet. There are suggestions that the components of the diet help improve blood pressure, reduce systemic inflammation, and improve fat levels. Multiple studies, including the prospective study in California, have shown that there is an association between the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of every subtype of stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic). There is also a large review that shows lowered risk of cognitive impairment among people who abide by the Mediterranean diet.”

Putting friendships last.

Spending time with friends is often one of the first things to disappear from a packed schedule, but it matters more for brain health than many people think. “Maintain a close relationship with five to six friends,” says Dr. Gomez. “Having close interpersonal relationships with a subset of people can help reduce your risk of developing diseases like Alzheimer's in the future by upwards of 30%. Spending time with friends exercises memory and language to build a cognitive reserve that helps buffer the brain from any changes. Being around friends can also reduce stress levels and stress hormones to reduce overall inflammation and protect neural pathways.”