It’s supposed to be the most magical time of the year.
The holidays are for gathering with loved ones, sharing traditions and creating lasting memories. Social connection is important for your spirit — and your mind.
Socializing benefits the brain by stimulating cognitive function and by lowering stress hormones like cortisol, which reduces inflammation and blood pressure.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a reliable circle of friends and family for the holidays.
These are six major ways to keep your spirits and your brain bright through the season, even in the absence of a strong support network.
Start a hobby
I work with patients affected by memory and thinking troubles and forms of dementia, like Alzheimer’s disease.
I’ve found that learning something new — like a language or an instrument — can trigger the growth of new neural connections in the brain, essentially keeping it young by engaging different brain areas.
It’s a lot like working out. If you don’t use certain muscles, they tend to shrink in size and strength.
The more you exercise your mind, the more you reinforce brain pathways that you might not use as much.
Whatever activity you choose, it should be complex enough that it requires a bit of effort, but not so difficult that you don’t want to do it.
Guitar playing, for example, can stimulate the parts of your brain devoted to coordination, focus and memory.
These regions come alive, creating connections that wouldn’t exist otherwise.
Not a fan of the guitar? You could also try tai chi or cooking.
Fill in a puzzle
You’ve probably heard that word games sharpen the mind.
Sudoku, for one, requires logical thinking and numerical pattern recognition, while crosswords improve vocabulary and memory recall.
We won’t prescribe a particular game, like bridge or mahjong.
The key is to really make sure you are challenged with learning something new — walking the same path you’ve always walked in your brain might not necessarily foster those new connections we’re looking to build.
Get your groove on
Dance classes are great because they are physical, social and cognitive.
Music alone can be so therapeutic.
Consider creating a playlist that evokes happy memories from your teens or 20s.
Playing the jams at a party instantly transforms the mood of the room, relieving stress and engaging the brain regions associated with pleasure, memory and emotion.
Embrace technology
If you’re not around loved ones this holiday season, take advantage of technology to text, call or video chat with them.
Some connection is better than no connection at all.
Besides reducing cortisol and stimulating your brain, social connection also increases the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule often referred to as “Miracle-Gro.”
BDNF encourages the growth and survival of brain cells and supports the connections between them.
Seek like-minded people
Loneliness can be as harmful to brain health as risky behaviors like smoking, but researchers aren’t entirely sure why.
One theory is that loneliness can increase stress hormones and inflammation in the body, which can damage blood vessels and the brain.
Loneliness can also affect the rate at which abnormal proteins build up in the brain, particularly those associated with Alzheimer’s.
We don’t have cures for all sorts of diseases, like Alzheimer’s, but we do have a cure for loneliness.
So if you’re alone for the holidays, try to enjoy the company of people who share similar interests.
Consider joining a book club, a crafting community or another group.
There are a lot of online resources to help you find organizations based on your passions.
Make this one change over the holidays
You likely know that consuming the Mediterranean diet, sleeping well, meditating mindfully and wearing a helmet for certain activities benefit the brain.
One thing I would definitely do to support my brain health is to make sure I get my steps in.
Don’t spend the holidays seated or lying down! Find creative ways to exercise — walk to get your groceries, take the stairs instead of the elevator and get up frequently from the easy chair to stretch.
Anything that gets your body moving moves the needle in the right direction. You only need 3,000 steps to boost your brain. Bonus points if the activity gets your heart rate up enough that it’s a bit harder to hold a casual conversation while you’re doing it.
Consistent lifestyle adjustments are powerful for improving brain health and potentially slowing cognitive decline.
While there is no cure for dementia, significant progress is being made in understanding the brain, developing new treatments and implementing everyday habits to prevent decline.
And we here at NYU Langone Health are excited to be a part of this future of protecting brain health and reducing the risk of dementia.
Joel Salinas, MD, MBA, is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and in NYU Langone Health’s Pearl I. Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and Treatment.
