4 Practical Habits a Neuroscientist Uses to Lower Alzheimer’s Risk

Age is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer's, says Dr. Gary Small, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who treats memory loss and researches brain aging. But lifestyle choices influence risk too. Small emphasizes habits that reduce midlife obesity and chronic inflammation—both linked to higher dementia risk.

1) Move every day, and mix the types of movement Small fits exercise into every day. He uses cycling for cardio, resistance bands and dumbbells for simple strength sessions, and frequent walking to increase overall activity. Walking also boosts mood through endorphins. Regular movement may raise brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein involved in nerve-cell survival and growth.

• Cycle for cardio when you can.
• Do short strength sessions with bands or light weights.
• Walk to errands or take stairs to add incidental activity.
• Train balance with lunges and standing on one foot (he sometimes closes his eyes for a challenge).

Small's approach is simple: at each meal have a healthy protein and a healthy carbohydrate. He chooses whole and sprouted-grain breads or sourdough because they give complex carbs, more fiber, and gentler blood-sugar effects. Typical choices he mentions: fried egg with sourdough for breakfast, turkey sandwich or chicken salad for lunch, and salmon or an occasional steak with salad for dinner.

3) Improve sleep and use simple hacks when you wake at night Good sleep reduces inflammation and helps clear amyloid, the brain proteins linked to memory loss. Small notes that sleep becomes lighter with age and offers specific tactics he uses when waking in the middle of the night:

• Practice box-breathing to calm the nervous system.

4) Work on balance to prevent falls and maintain independence

How to start without overhauling your life

• Add a 20–30 minute walk daily and swap one ultraprocessed snack for fruit or nuts.
• Include a protein at each meal (eggs, fish, poultry, or legumes) and choose whole-grain or sourdough bread.
• Do two short strength sessions per week with resistance bands or light weights, and add a one-legged balance hold for 30–60 seconds.
• Set a consistent bedtime, and if you wake, try a brief breathing exercise or an audiobook instead of checking screens.

He frames these practices as sustainable, not perfection. The focus is on consistent, manageable habits that lower inflammation, reduce midlife obesity, support sleep, and maintain mobility—each of which contributes to lower risk of cognitive decline over time.