You may get anxious wondering if forgetful moments mean you’re moving into full-blown dementia, says Dr. Rush, who also sees loss of confidence and social withdrawal in her patients with MCI.
People with MCI can also experience apathy, which means they have less motivation to do things, says Joseph “Audie” Black, PhD, a clinical neuropsychologist in private practice in Boise, Idaho. But alongside medical treatment, steps you take to recharge can also lower the risk that MCI progresses to dementia, says Dr. Black.
1. Prioritize Social Connection
Spending time with people can help you feel less stressed, anxious, and depressed. Social connection can also help your brain work better.
This doesn’t mean being around just anyone, says Black. “I always say life is too short to be around jerks. It’s being around people who love and care about you and make you feel positively connected.”
You may feel tempted to skip social activities, worried you might have a verbal slip-up or forget someone’s name, says Black. But staying social is vital when you have MCI, he says.
2. Go for Walks Outside
Exercise can boost your mood, help you sleep, and protect against cognitive decline (lessening brain function). “Movement is medicine,” says Rush.
“When we exercise, we’re releasing natural endorphins in the body, and the list of benefits is almost unlimited,” says Black.
You don’t have to run a marathon to get these benefits, says Rush. “It’s more, can I go outside and take a walk around the block and take in nature and fresh air?”
One analysis of 78 studies found that spending at least 10 minutes in nature improved mental health — an effect that increased the more often people did it.
You can garden, walk in a park, or stroll down the street, says Rush. Drink your morning coffee on your front step or back patio, just to get outside and start your day with a fresh reset, she says.
Take walks outside with a friend or loved one to add the benefits of social interaction to exercise, says Black.
3. From Stretches to Dancing: Find a Way to Move More
If outside walks don’t work for you, you can still get your body moving and heart pumping. Start with stretches, says Rush. If you notice you’re sitting for a long time, gentle movements can be very helpful, she says.
Rush also suggests trying small, silly things that get you moving. “Maybe you have the music on as you’re doing dishes and you just dance in your kitchen,” says Rush. “[Try] small things that allow your body to move in a free or joyful way.”
Once you get started, you might notice an energy boost and want to do even more, says Black. As long as your healthcare provider says it’s okay, try to build up to a goal of 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. This could look like 30 minutes per day, five days a week.
That means picking up your walking to a brisk pace that increases your heart rate, says Black. Black also recommends social dancing, like taking salsa, cha-cha, tango, or line dancing classes, which combine exercise and social connection.
4. Try a New Hobby
- Quilting
- Crocheting
- Woodworking
- Cycling
- Creative writing
- Playing an instrument
- Cooking or baking
- Photography
Hobbies activate your brain, and completing projects gives you a rush of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in learning and motivation, says Black.
You can increase the brain-boosting effects of hobbies by choosing something you’ve never done before, says Rush. Your brain does better at preserving cognitive function when you do new things, she says.
This concept also applies to “brain-boosting” apps or games you may see advertised on your phone or tablet, says Black. Although they haven’t been shown to significantly boost brain health, they can exercise your thinking skills in new ways.
“I tell people, absolutely play games, but what I recommend is don’t just play the same one every time,” says Black. Vary the games that you’re playing, so you’re challenging your brain in unique ways.”
5. Eat a Brain-Healthy Diet on a Schedule
“For some of my patients, they find that they are less hungry and they may not eat as often as they used to,” says Rush. With MCI and normal aging, you can lose some hunger cues, even though your body needs food, says Rush.
Food choices matter, too. Try to focus on whole, plant-based foods alongside healthy proteins like salmon, says Black. Avoid added sugars, alcohol, and highly processed foods, he says. “If you’re doing that, you’re making massive strides in the right direction.”
6. Consider Volunteering or Mentoring
Volunteering your time, wisdom, or skills can improve your overall health, well-being, and quality of life.
Look for activities that anchor you not just to yourself, but to a sense of purpose in the larger world, says Rush. “Because when people start to lose that and they start to feel disconnected and they start to feel like I don’t have anything to contribute, that’s when we often see the avalanche of mood deterioration.”
Rush suggests these volunteer possibilities.
- Sign up for a mentorship program to guide others in a field you excelled in.
- Volunteer at your local food bank.
- Join the local neighborhood watch to keep your community safe.
“My most successful patients are those who have a sense of purpose in something that is outside their home,” says Rush.
7. Get Better Sleep
“Try to get at least seven hours a night if you can,” says Rush. If you have ongoing issues with getting enough sleep, tell your healthcare provider, who can help you find the cause and plan treatment, says Rush.
How to Get Started
If this list feels overwhelming, remember: You can start small. When 150 minutes of exercise every week sounds like too much, start by taking short walks, says Black.
You may also hesitate to pursue social connection. Rush’s patients tell her, “I have so many people to catch up with at this point. It just feels overwhelming.”
So Rush encourages people just to send one text message, make one phone call, or schedule lunch with one friend in the next month. “A lot of times a one-on-one conversation is much less overwhelming than some of those group-based settings,” says Rush.
MCI-related apathy can make it hard to get started, too. You may know these activities are important and you know you can do them, but you just can’t start, says Black.
If this describes you, try asking a trusted loved one to schedule activities or do them with you, says Black. Let that person be your motivation so you can get the benefit of things that recharge you.
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