Aside from the usual advice to quit smoking and get eight hours of sleep, you may have heard that social engagement is key to slowing cognitive decline. But what does that mean exactly? Perhaps you already live with a partner, children or roommates.
Not so fast. Cohabiting with someone doesn’t necessarily translate into brain-enriching conversations.
Let’s say you’re watching a movie together: “Your brain is processing the information coming in, but it’s not creating memories and thoughts as it would if you were reflecting on old family vacations,” said Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist and founder of Comprehend the Mind.
It’s never too early to start thinking about brain health, especially if you have a family history of dementia. Dementia is a general term that describes the loss of memory, language, problem-solving, or other thinking abilities that interfere with daily activities.
Below, we talked to neuroscience experts about the risks of social isolation and the kinds of social activities that are best for brain health.
How Social Isolation Affects Brain Health
“Social isolation is defined as having few social relationships or infrequent social interactions,” said Dr. Augusto Miravalle, chief of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Rush University Medical Center. A related concept is loneliness, which refers to a mismatch between your actual and desired social relationships.
Research suggests that loneliness and social isolation are associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. One study found that socially isolated patients experienced a faster rate of cognitive decline in the six months before their dementia diagnosis compared to a control group.
“Loneliness causes chronic stress, which elevates cortisol production,” Hafeez said. “Chronically high levels of cortisol can damage the hippocampus, impairing learning and memory, and eventually, accelerating cognitive aging.”
In addition, the Lancet Commission found that 40% of dementia cases could be delayed or prevented by addressing 12 lifestyle factors, including social isolation. As Miravalle noted, the brain is like a muscle. “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” he said.
Hafeez agreed, noting that social interactions engage our memory, attention, language processing, and emotional control simultaneously. “Without regular social stimulation, your brain has fewer opportunities to exercise itself,” she said.
Older People Aren’t The Only Ones At Risk
Aside from age, there are numerous risk factors for loneliness, including financial difficulties, a lack of transportation, caregiving responsibilities and language barriers. Dr. Craig P. Tanio, co-founder of Rezilir Health, who regularly treats people in their 40s and 50s for cognitive issues, noted that younger people are experiencing social isolation.
“Social networks don’t seem to have the same type of nourishing and regenerative qualities as in-person relationships,” he said.
Another factor that predisposes people to social isolation is mental health issues, Miravalle said. He gave the example of depression and how it can manifest as being isolated and not being able to enjoy activities. Hafeez added that depression and anxiety are linked to dementia as they can affect the brain’s ability to communicate and adapt.
In addition, someone may avoid social interactions because of hearing or vision loss. If your hearing is not good, you tend to engage less and isolate yourself, Tanio said. Similarly, if you have mobility issues, you might be reluctant to leave your home because of social stigma or a fear of falling, Miravalle said.
MoMo Productions via Getty Images
Looking through photos and reminiscing can help engage your brain and memory.
The Interactions With Loved Ones That Keep Your Brain Sharp
Whether your concerns are related to age or mobility, all three experts emphasized the importance of regular social engagement to reduce your risk of dementia. Here’s what they recommended.
1. Telling Stories And Reminiscing
“The talks most relevant to brain health are ones that require you to remember, tell stories, and connect emotionally,” Hafeez said. “When you reminisce about a family vacation, you are triggering recall, language, and organization centers.” For example, you can ask questions about what was memorable and how it made you feel.
“Clinical evidence shows that by frequently reminiscing and sharing impactful stories with others, your brain stays healthier longer,” she said. That’s because these conversations involve using more than one brain network at a time.
Telling stories and looking at photos requires skills like visual attention, recall, and empathy. In contrast, watching TV with someone involves passive engagement, unless, of course, you’re having deep conversations about the characters or plot line, she added.
2. Creating Rituals With Friends And Family
“When you’re physically or emotionally isolated, you have less chance of someone noticing subtle cognitive declines or encouraging you to seek medical attention,” Hafeez said.
Accordingly, you can promote brain health by engaging in regular social activities that involve cognitive demands. Whether that means preparing a meal together or scheduling a weekly video call to discuss current events, the key is to be consistent and have fun.
“As people get older, they lose purpose post-retirement, and purpose is critical,” Tanio said. “Golfing alone just doesn’t do it, but the data say that weekly engagement with a group is good for you.”
His advice was to build on the connections you have, adding that “relationships are compounding investments.” By this, he meant that social engagement is just as important as diet and exercise for preventing cognitive decline. “Regular, brief, pleasant exchanges with family and friends absolutely matter,” he said.
Other examples are joining a book club, playing trivia games, going out for a meal, or volunteering in your community. “These activities exercise verbal abilities, recall and executive functioning,” Hafeez added.
3. Playing Interactive Games
“Many types of games have cognitive benefits because they draw on multiple areas of cognition like memory, attention, language and executive function while facilitating social connection,” Hafeez said.
Examples include jigsaw puzzles, card games, board games, word games, and strategy games such as bridge, chess and Scrabble. These games encourage you to plan, recall and respond to others in the moment, she added.
Online brain games offer similar benefits, but there’s a catch.
“If you keep doing them, you get better at the game, but that doesn’t translate to getting healthier, and sometimes, it’s actually counterproductive,” Miravalle said. “If a brain game is keeping you from spending time outdoors, it’s probably going to have a negative impact on your brain health overall.”
Tanio agreed, saying, “There’s nothing about the computer that’s better as a brain exercise than doing creative arts, going to a book club, or working on your fiction novel, which are all very good to do.” Plus, online games can start to feel like work, since the algorithms are designed to give you increasingly challenging puzzles.
4. Combining Movement And Social Activity
“Social interactions enhance cognitive function by forcing us to communicate, listen, and learn from other cultures,” Miravalle said. One way to optimize these interactions is by incorporating physical activity, whether it’s walking, moving or dancing. Physical activity helps the brain adapt and form new neural connections.
Tanio noted that the quality and type of social engagement matter more than the amount. “I’ve been seeing patients from the perspective that you can get the brain healthy by getting the entire body healthy,” he said. In addition to helping with balance and coordination, dancing with someone requires you to communicate and use sensory feedback to synchronize your movements.
Another advantage of movement is promoting novelty, which helps activate parts of your brain you don’t normally use. An example is noticing which pant leg you put on first and switching it. “So, one day use the right leg first and the next day use the left leg,” Miravalle said. “It’s a small trick that you can play on your brain, but that will force the brain to learn a new way of doing something.”
5. Taking A Class Or Learning Together
“Educational attainment is one of the factors that prevent the development of dementia,” Miravalle said. “The longer we study and learn, particularly early on in life, has a beneficial impact on the risk of dementia.”
And it’s never too late to hit the books. For example, you could take a cooking class with a friend or enroll in a brain health program to learn healthy diet or exercise habits. Other examples are learning a new language, playing an instrument, or taking up a hobby.
Learning in a structured environment can help promote critical thinking. Plus, a study buddy can offer support and accountability when you’re making lifestyle changes.
“At the end of the day, it comes down to building a life around a diverse group of activities,” Miravalle said.
If you’re concerned about yourself or a loved one, there are practical things you can do, starting with speaking to a doctor and getting cognitive testing. It also helps to be aware of risk factors and work on managing them by eating and sleeping well, moving every day, lowering stress, and connecting with people, Tanio said.
