Assessment
Americans Want Better Brain Health But Need a Road Map
Recent surveys from AARP and Ohio State University show broad interest in brain health. Experts say familiar habits — moving more, sleeping well, eating healthy and staying connected — are a smart place to begin
Most participants in an Ohio State survey want to take better care of their brains and said brain-healthy habits should begin before age 40.
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Key takeaways
- Surveys found strong interest in protecting brain health, but many adults are unsure which risk factors matter most and how to reduce them.
- Regular exercise, quality sleep, healthy eating, social connection and mental stimulation are linked to better brain health.
- Learning about risk factors can motivate action, with many adults saying they are more likely to adopt brain-healthy habits after receiving information.
Many Americans today want to do more to protect their brains as they age, but don’t always know how, according to a series of recent surveys.
Three surveys by AARP and another commissioned by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that many adults are eager to prioritize their brain health — including starting at an early age — but are unaware of their risk factors and how to reduce them.
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The AARP surveys, conducted in March and April 2026 among nationally representative samples of adults ages 50 and older, found that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are “a growing concern,” but people have an uneven understanding of ways to diminish their risks. “Closing the information gap may be a critical pathway to behavior change,” the report states.
“Our job is to help people make those connections,” says Juan Rodriguez, AARP’s vice president, policy and brain health. He points out that wanting to do something about brain health is the beginning of actually doing something about it.
“When you think about what getting that diagnosis means for your future, it can spur you into action,” Rodriguez says. “We can do a lot to help educate people, but it has to come from the people who want to change their risk.”
Surprised by some connections
People may find it surprising that healthy lifestyle habits that help the rest of the body also have a positive impact on the brain — and that they may be doing some or all of them already, Rodriguez says. They may be doing things for other reasons that also contribute to brain health and not even realize it, he says.
These healthy habits include getting regular physical exercise and quality sleep, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in social interaction and mental stimulation, Rodriguez says. “A lot of these have been out there all along,” he says. “We just need to reframe them in the context of the brain.”
While more than half of the AARP survey respondents said they were aware of the benefits of physical activity (74 percent), the harmful effects of brain injury (61 percent), and social isolation (56 percent), fewer said that they realized that common conditions that afflict them in midlife — hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, as well as vision and hearing loss — also play a role. Among the risk factors addressed in the survey, awareness was lowest for “possessing fewer years of formal education,” according to the report.
“It’s extremely encouraging to see people interested in taking care of their brains,” but many don’t know that addressing these chronic health conditions can help them do so, Rodriguez says. “Taking care of your physical health also can help take care of your brain.”
The surveys also found that people were motivated to act when armed with the right information. “Learning about risk factors leads to a meaningful shift in behavior,” the report says. Three in four adults said they were “more likely” to act once they had this knowledge, while more than one-third said they were “much more likely” to act, according to the report.
Interest was highest for aligning their physical activity and having their vision checked. Respondents were less inclined to do something about their hearing, the report says. However, hearing loss is a common problem as people age. Left untreated, it increases the risk of social isolation, depression and anxiety, and is considered one of the most treatable risk factors for dementia.
Younger people want to start earlier
The Ohio State University survey, which was conducted in May 2026 and involved 1,004 adults ages 18 and older, saw similar results. Six in 10 said they want to take better care of their brains — and at an earlier age — but don’t know how.
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Most participants in the Ohio State survey said brain-healthy habits should begin before age 40. “It’s heartening to hear that younger people want to prioritize their brain health,” says Dr. Douglas Scharre, a neurologist and medical director of Ohio State’s Center for Cognitive and Memory Disorders. “They see dementia in their parents and grandparents and want to delay it or not develop it. You only get one brain, so you’ve got to take care of it and starting too early is better than waiting until it’s too late.”
Scharre recommends that people without a family history of memory problems begin routine brain health screenings, such as the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE test) that he developed, at age 65, and sooner if family members developed cognitive problems at a younger age. The tests are designed to identify early signs of memory or thinking problems.
He agrees with Rodriguez that habits that promote overall good health are among the best things people can do for their brains. When exercising, “Your brain is very active,” he says. You’re using it in countless ways. For example, your brain monitors breathing, distance, counting laps in the pool or on the track, and aches and pains — during which the brain says, “That hurts. Don’t do this anymore,” according to Scharre.
Good sleep “removes the toxins from the brain,” and healthy food provides the brain with nutrients it needs. “People often don’t correlate mental stimulation with brain health, but [the brain] needs to be stimulated,” he adds. “That’s how it builds connections and reserves. One of the best brain activities we have is to get out and talk to people. The whole brain is working.
“These often are very normal parts of people’s daily activities and it turns out they are very healthy for your brain,” Scharre says.
The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
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