Many Americans ages 50 and older know what brain-healthy behaviors are, but most say that engaging in these behaviors regularly can be challenging. Recent research by AARP assessed awareness of and engagement in, as well as barriers to, lifestyle activities that have been shown to benefit brain health.
Brain-healthy behaviors
AARP’s Staying Sharp program outlines six pillars of brain health, which form the acronym BE MORE:
- Be Social
- Engage Your Brain
- Manage Stress
- Ongoing Exercise
- Restorative Sleep
- Eat Right
The pillars are based on information from the Global Council on Brain Health.
Through an April 2025 survey, AARP set out to explore older adults’ engagement in the six pillars. Most survey respondents say they are aware of the importance of these behaviors to brain health, especially restful sleep and stress management. Getting enough sleep each night was cited as having a significant positive impact on brain health by 82 percent of respondents, while 78 percent believe managing stress has a significant impact. Fewer respondents (63 percent) believe socializing with friends and family has a significant impact.
Many adults age 50-plus are engaging in at least some of these behaviors regularly. At least 60 percent engage in four of the six activities three or more days per week. While socializing with friends and family is the most popular activity, regularly practiced by 68 percent of respondents, getting regular exercise is the most challenging, regularly practiced by only 37 percent.
There are significant differences between men and women when it comes to notions of the impact of these activities. For example, 83 percent of women age 50 and older believe that managing stress has a significant impact on brain health, compared with only 72 percent of men. The gender gap is even wider when it comes to socializing with friends and family, which was rated as having significant positive impact by 70 percent of female respondents, but only 56 percent of male respondents.
Good intentions
Even when awareness and intention toward brain-healthy behaviors are high, life can get in the way. U.S. adults cite a range of barriers that prevents them from engaging in these activities as often as they would like. Barriers to getting enough sleep — racing thoughts, uncomfortable temperature, and noise, for example — are the most prevalent, cited by 65 percent of survey respondents. Barriers to exercise, noted by 62 percent of respondents, can include mobility issues and general dislike.
Lack of knowledge was cited as a barrier to several of the activities, including healthy eating, exercise, engaging in mentally stimulating activities, and stress management. Most American adults age 50-plus (75 percent) say they would be likely to include brain-healthy behaviors in their daily routines if they had how-to instructions.
Hearing health
The survey also explored respondents’ awareness of the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline. Nearly half of American adults 50-plus have some difficulty hearing (47 percent), but just over one in 10 (13 percent) have treated their hearing loss.
Knowing hearing loss is a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia would encourage most American adults to address a hearing loss, with more than seven in 10 saying they would be greatly or somewhat encouraged to get a hearing test (72 percent) or hearing aids (73 percent).
Methodology
In April 2025, AARP Research fielded a nationally representative survey of 1,009 Americans 50 and older, both online and by telephone.
For more information, please contact Laura Mehegan at lmehegan@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.