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How to support brain health and memory: daily habits and tips
Written byMedico Digital
Reviewed byJulie Cunningham
With your brain orchestrating everything from daily tasks to your deepest thoughts, it’s no wonder that keeping it in top shape is so important
Summary
1How to support your brain health
There are many different ways you can support your brain health, including dietary tips and exercise…
2Supporting brain health through diet
One of the ways in which you can support your brain health and memory is through your diet…
3Supplements that may support brain health
While a healthy diet, exercise and getting enough sleep can help maintain your brain health, some studies suggest that…
From staying physically active to nourishing your mind with a balanced diet, there’s a lot you can do to support your brain. And with so many factors affecting brain health, where should you start?
While some turn to supplements for an extra edge, the science behind them can be a bit mixed. So, what can you do to support your brain health and your memory?
The importance of brain health
First off, a bit of background on brains.
Your brain is one of the most important organs in your body. It acts as the command centre for every single thing you do every day, from controlling your breathing and body temperature to enabling you to move and telling you to eat or drink. It’s also the source of your thoughts, feelings and behaviours.1
When the brain is healthy, it functions quickly and automatically, sending signals around your body to control everything from movement to emotions.1 But when problems occur and the brain doesn't work as it should, the results can be devastating.1
There are an estimated 11 million people in the UK living with a neurological condition.2 This can include anything from sudden onset conditions like a stroke or a traumatic brain injury to a slow decline in brain function caused by a degenerative condition such as Alzheimer’s disease.2-4
Neurological conditions can vary in their impact. Some conditions, such as headaches or epileptic episodes, come and go, while others are chronic, with ongoing and debilitating effects that can compromise your quality of life.2
How to support your brain health
There are many different ways you can support your brain health, including dietary tips and exercise. Let’s brainstorm what you can do to keep your cognitive health in tip-top shape.
Can you ‘exercise’ your brain?
For many years, clinicians have recommended exercise as a way of improving brain health. One study has found that regular physical activity can improve cognitive health, irrespective of your age.3,4
This could be because being physically active is related to increased size of brain areas that are important for memory and learning. So, exercise could potentially help lower the risk of cognitive decline observed in people with conditions such as dementia.5
The NHS recommends that people aged between 19 and 64 should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week.6
Mental wellbeing is also strongly associated with brain health, so taking steps to protect your mental health, such as by controlling your stress levels, could have a positive impact.7
Supporting brain health through diet
One of the ways in which you can support your brain health and memory is through your diet. The NHS recommends that everyone follows a healthy and balanced diet to optimise their health.8
This includes getting at least five portions of a variety of different fruits and vegetables each day, avoiding eating too many foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar, and choosing foods from all five of the main food groups to ensure you get a wide range of nutrients.8
Plant Points are another way to help keep your diet varied and healthy. Plant Points go beyond your ‘five-a-day’ and involve eating 30 different plants a week – including foods like fruits, vegetables, powdered foods, herbs and spices. This approach emphasises the importance of food variety not just quantity, and aims to support your gut health.
Some foods are particularly good for brain health, such as oily fish. Oily fish (such as salmon, herring or sardines) are high in omega-3 fats, which research suggests could play a role in supporting brain function and reducing the risk of dementia.7-10
If you don’t like eating oily fish, fish oil supplements could be a good alternative.
Food and nutrition play a crucial role in the functioning of every part of the human body, including the brain. Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly and stay healthy.
Most people get all the nutrients they need by following a healthy and balanced diet.11 For example, you can get vitamin C from foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes and broccoli.12
If you can’t get enough of the nutrients you need from your food, for example, because you have a restricted diet or you don’t like to eat a lot of different foods, supplements could be a good option to support your brain health.
You may be surprised to learn that omega-3, found in fish oils and seeds like flax and chia, could have a positive impact on your brain health. One study has found that omega-3 can improve learning, memory and cognitive wellbeing and increase blood flow to the brain.13
Supplements that may support brain health
Ginkgo leaf, also known as ginkgo biloba, comes from a large tree with fan-shaped leaves native to East Asia. The extract from the leaf is used as a supplement by some people to support brain health, though much more research is needed on this.15,16
No more than 240mg of ginkgo per day is recommended.16
Red krill oil is a pure source of omega-3 fatty acids and comes from a tiny, shrimp-like marine animal. Studies have shown that red krill oil may have a number of health benefits, from potentially lowering bad cholesterol to improving cognitive function.12,17,18
You should aim for around 450mg of omega-3 per day, which is the equivalent you’d get from eating the recommended amounts of fish.19
Cod liver oil has been linked to a range of health benefits like boosting memory skills and overall brain function.7
Just as with krill oil, you should aim to have around 450mg of cod liver oil, or any other omega-3 supplement, each day.19
Omega-3 is important at every age, including the teenage years. Supporting cognitive function can help with memory, focus and learning.9
Many teenagers have poor diets, so taking multivitamin supplements with omega-3 can help ensure they get all the nutrients they need to continue growing and stay healthy.20
As well as being a tasty ingredient, mushrooms may offer support for your brain’s pathways and cognitive function.21
Lion’s mane may be especially effective for your brain health and memory. Some studies have found that taking a lion’s mane supplement enabled participants to perform better when completing cognitive tests.21,22
The final say
You don’t only need a healthy body as you get older. It’s just as important to maintain the health and function of your brain at all stages of your life.
With the right lifestyle choices, and by ensuring you get enough of the essential nutrients in your diet – either through food or supplements – you can take steps towards supporting your long-term brain health and memory.
This article provides informational advice and is not a substitute for medical care. Curated by experts for accuracy, we take great care to ensure the information is up-to-date and relevant. However, you should always consult your GP or healthcare professional before using supplements or alternative products, particularly if you have medical conditions or are under supervision.
While we strive for accuracy and balance, please be aware that this article may discuss products available for purchase through Holland & Barrett. Consult a healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions.
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Brain Basics [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jun 29]. Available from: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-know-your-brain
- Brain Research UK. Neuro Facts [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jun 29]. Available from: https://www.brainresearchuk.org.uk/info/neuro-facts
- Gomez-Pinilla F, Hillman C. The influence of exercise on cognitive abilities. Compr Physiol. 2013;3(1):403–28. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110063
- Gomes-Osman J, Cabral DF, Morris TP, McInerney K, Cahalin LP, Rundek T, et al. Exercise for cognitive brain health in aging. Neurology: Clinical Practice [Internet]. 2018 Jun 1;8(3):257–65. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6075983/
- Raji CA, et al. Exercise-related physical activity relates to brain volumes in 10,125 individuals. J Alzheimer’s Dis. 2024;97(2):829–39. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-230740
- NHS. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Feb 12] Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/
- Mintzer J, et al. Lifestyle choices and brain health. Front Med (Lausanne). 2019;6:204. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2019.00204
- NHS. Eating a balanced diet [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jun 30]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eating-a-balanced-diet
- NHS. 8 tips for healthy eating [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jun 30]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eight-tips-for-healthy-eating/
- Dighriri IM, et al. Effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on brain functions: A systematic review. 2022;14(10):e30091. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.30091
- NHS. Overview: Vitamins and minerals [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jun 30]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals
- NHS. Vitamin C [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jun 30]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c/
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Brain basics: Understanding sleep [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jul 1]. Available from: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/public-education/brain-basics/brain-basics-understanding-sleep
- Hersant, Haley, et al. ‘Over the Counter Supplements for Memory: A Review of Available Evidence’. CNS Drugs, vol. 37, no. 9, Sept. 2023, pp. 797–817. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40263-023-01031-6
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Ginkgo [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jul 1]. Available from: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ginkgo
- Nguyen T, Alzahrani T. Ginkgo biloba. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541024/
- Backes JM, Howard PA. Krill oil for cardiovascular risk prevention: Is it for real? Hosp Pharm. 2014;49(10):907–12. https://doi.org/10.1310/hpj4910-907
- Andraka JM, Sharma N, Marchalant Y. Can krill oil be of use for counteracting neuroinflammatory processes induced by high fat diet and aging? Neuroscience Research. 2020 Aug;157:1–14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31445058/
- British Heart Foundation. Omega-3 foods and your heart [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jul 1]. Available from: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/omega-3s-and-your-heart
- Moore Heslin, Aoibhín, and Breige McNulty. ‘Adolescent Nutrition and Health: Characteristics, Risk Factors and Opportunities of an Overlooked Life Stage’. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, vol. 82, no. 2, May 2023, pp. 142–56. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665123002689
- Saitsu Y, Nishide A, Kikushima K, Shimizu K, Ohnuki K. Improvement of cognitive functions by oral intake of Hericium erinaceus. Biomedical Research [Internet]. 2019 Aug 1;40(4):125–31. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/biomedres/40/4/40_125/_pdf/-char/en
- Docherty S, Doughty FL, Smith EF. The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2023 Nov 20;15(22):4842–2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38004235/
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