Health and Me

Ishita Roy

These 6 Habits Will Slow Your Aging, According To A Harvard Brain Expert

habits to slow down your aging

habits to slow down aging

Before "<span>brain health</span>" became a buzzword, Rudolph E Tanzi started to write the science behind it. Tanzi is a neurology professor at the Harvard, and co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital is known for discovering three key Alzheimer's genes. In his 46-year career, he wrote hundreds of journal articles that helped in shaping the modern understanding of neurodegenerative illness. 

In 2023, neuroscientist also teamed up with holistic health advocate Deepak Chopra to write Super Brain, a book that pushed against the idea that brain has fixed limits. The belief also sits at the heart of SHIELD, which a lifestyle framework developed by Tanzi to protect long-term brain health. It focuses on six pillars:

<ul><li>Sleep </li><li>Handling stress</li><li>Interaction with others</li><li>Exercise </li><li>Learning</li><li>Diet</li></ul>

Tanzi now 67, says these principles are not just theoretical, but he credits his own research and daily habits for helping him stay mentally sharp, physically active and deeply engaged in his work. 

“I’m doing more work and having more fun and excitement than ever,” he says. “Your world can feel young or stagnant based entirely on the health of your brain. Most people do not realize that.”

Tanzi aims for seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep, he explains, is not just rest. It is active maintenance for the brain.

During deep sleep, the brain clears out toxins, including amyloid proteins that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear. Each deep sleep cycle works like a rinse for the brain.

Rather than following a fixed bedtime, Tanzi plans backward from his wake-up time to ensure at least seven hours of sleep. An hour before bed, screens go off and phone scrolling stops. If sleep falls short, he recommends short power naps, even brief ones.

Chronic stress is one of the biggest threats to brain health. It raises cortisol levels, which Tanzi describes as toxic to the brain over time.

He believes modern life has amplified stress through constant notifications, emails and social media. His primary tool to counter this is meditation, especially practices that quiet the constant internal chatter many people experience.

Tanzi suggests closing your eyes periodically during the day and focusing on images rather than words. Let thoughts come and go without turning them into sentences. He also warns against living mentally in the past or worrying excessively about the future instead of staying present.

Reducing this internal noise, he says, boosts creativity, intuition and mental clarity.

Social connection matters more than many people realize. Loneliness has been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline.

The key, Tanzi says, is interacting with people you genuinely enjoy. Stressful social interactions do not count. Even regular texting or phone calls can help.

Because many of his friends live far away, Tanzi stays connected through small, intentional check-ins with different friend groups each day. Used this way, social media can actually support brain health instead of draining it.

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/nutrition/neurologist-shares-10-eating-habits-for-a-longer-healthier-life-article-152272590" data-type="tilCustomLink">Neurologist Shares 10 Eating Habits For A Longer, Healthier Life</a>

Regular movement improves blood flow to the brain and helps form new nerve cells, particularly in areas affected early by Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise also releases hormones that help break down harmful amyloid buildup.

Tanzi cycles on a stationary bike for 30 minutes every other day and walks on alternate days. He points to research showing that even modest increases in daily steps can meaningfully reduce dementia risk.

Learning builds new synapses, the connections that store memories and support thinking. When these connections weaken, cognition suffers.

As people age, Tanzi says they often become less adventurous and rely on the same mental patterns. That stagnation harms the brain.

To counter this, he constantly learns new music on the keyboard, writes his own compositions, reads widely and watches documentaries. New experiences keep the brain flexible and resilient.

Diet plays a central role in brain health, largely through the gut microbiome. When gut bacteria are balanced, they produce compounds that reduce inflammation and help clear amyloid from the brain.

Tanzi follows a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts and seeds. He is mostly vegan but not rigid. His snacks tend to be crunchy whole foods that gut bacteria thrive on.

He is also increasingly focused on environmental factors that affect the brain. His upcoming book will explore what he calls the “killer P’s,” including plastics, pollution, periodontal bacteria and processed foods, and how they quietly shape long-term brain health.

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Before "brain health" became a buzzword, Rudolph E Tanzi started to write the science behind it. Tanzi is a neurology professor at the Harvard, and co-director of the Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital is known for discovering three key Alzheimer's genes. In his 46-year career, he wrote hundreds of journal articles that helped in shaping the modern understanding of neurodegenerative illness. In 2023, neuroscientist also teamed up with holistic health advocate Deepak Chopra to write Super Brain, a book that pushed against the idea that brain has fixed limits. The belief also sits at the heart of SHIELD, which a lifestyle framework developed by Tanzi to protect long-term brain health. It focuses on six pillars:Sleep Handling stressInteraction with othersExercise LearningDietTanzi now 67, says these principles are not just theoretical, but he credits his own research and daily habits for helping him stay mentally sharp, physically active and deeply engaged in his work. “I’m doing more work and having more fun and excitement than ever,” he says. “Your world can feel young or stagnant based entirely on the health of your brain. Most people do not realize that.”Let us look deeper into SHIELD:Sleep  Tanzi aims for seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep, he explains, is not just rest. It is active maintenance for the brain.During deep sleep, the brain clears out toxins, including amyloid proteins that are linked to Alzheimer’s disease years before symptoms appear. Each deep sleep cycle works like a rinse for the brain.Rather than following a fixed bedtime, Tanzi plans backward from his wake-up time to ensure at least seven hours of sleep. An hour before bed, screens go off and phone scrolling stops. If sleep falls short, he recommends short power naps, even brief ones.Handling stressChronic stress is one of the biggest threats to brain health. It raises cortisol levels, which Tanzi describes as toxic to the brain over time.He believes modern life has amplified stress through constant notifications, emails and social media. His primary tool to counter this is meditation, especially practices that quiet the constant internal chatter many people experience.Tanzi suggests closing your eyes periodically during the day and focusing on images rather than words. Let thoughts come and go without turning them into sentences. He also warns against living mentally in the past or worrying excessively about the future instead of staying present.Reducing this internal noise, he says, boosts creativity, intuition and mental clarity.Interaction with friendsSocial connection matters more than many people realize. Loneliness has been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline.The key, Tanzi says, is interacting with people you genuinely enjoy. Stressful social interactions do not count. Even regular texting or phone calls can help.Because many of his friends live far away, Tanzi stays connected through small, intentional check-ins with different friend groups each day. Used this way, social media can actually support brain health instead of draining it.Read: Neurologist Shares 10 Eating Habits For A Longer, Healthier LifeExercise  Regular movement improves blood flow to the brain and helps form new nerve cells, particularly in areas affected early by Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise also releases hormones that help break down harmful amyloid buildup.Tanzi cycles on a stationary bike for 30 minutes every other day and walks on alternate days. He points to research showing that even modest increases in daily steps can meaningfully reduce dementia risk.Learning new thingsLearning builds new synapses, the connections that store memories and support thinking. When these connections weaken, cognition suffers.As people age, Tanzi says they often become less adventurous and rely on the same mental patterns. That stagnation harms the brain.To counter this, he constantly learns new music on the keyboard, writes his own compositions, reads widely and watches documentaries. New experiences keep the brain flexible and resilient.Diet  Diet plays a central role in brain health, largely through the gut microbiome. When gut bacteria are balanced, they produce compounds that reduce inflammation and help clear amyloid from the brain.Tanzi follows a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts and seeds. He is mostly vegan but not rigid. His snacks tend to be crunchy whole foods that gut bacteria thrive on.He is also increasingly focused on environmental factors that affect the brain. His upcoming book will explore what he calls the “killer P’s,” including plastics, pollution, periodontal bacteria and processed foods, and how they quietly shape long-term brain health.