Published on: 18th May 2026
This Dementia Action Week, we're sharing some advice to help you look after your memory and brain health.
If you're worried about your memory, please speak to your GP who can refer you to your local memory assessment service. Memory services can also put you in touch with other support, to help you live well with dementia.
Andy and Saki's story
As part of the week, Andy and Saki have shared their experience of early-onset Alzheimer's to encourage to reach out for support early.
Advice to improve memory functioning and brain health
Lisa Slater, mental health nurse from Oldham memory assessment service, has shared some advice to help you stay sharp and healthy. You can also watch her video below.
Every day people are thinking about ways to look after their bodies, but we often forget about looking after our brain health. By looking after our bodies, we are in turn looking after our brains.
We read lots about how exercise, eating healthy and good sleep are good for our health but this doesn’t just mean your hearts it also means your brain
We know that eating healthy has benefits on reducing cholesterol, improving blood pressure but this also supports the function of the brain. Brain foods - such as oily fish, eggs, nuts seeds, berries and tomatoes, green veggies, whole grains, dark chocolate in small amounts - can all have therapeutic effects on brain functioning
It's well documented the benefits of exercise on both body and mind. Once again, like well balanced diets, exercise also supports brain function. Exercise could be going for a walk a few times a week, having a run, swimming- anything that is getting your heart rate up a few times a week.
Try exercising with friends or family, going for a walk. It doesn’t have to be expensive gyms.
Exercise doesn’t stop at physical, mental exercise is also extremely value in supporting brain function- learning a new skill, doing puzzles, keeping active around your home, routines likes cooking, singing and dancing to music.
This leads me onto the value of social connection. This could be meeting up with friends and family, going to a new group, even going to your local shop. The connection with others can help lift mood and wellbeing. Social isolation can have a real impact on mood and brain function.
Sleep - we all know the value of babies and children getting a restful and good night sleep but this should stop as we enter adulthood and certainly shouldn’t stop as we mature. The benefit of sleep impacts on all systems of our bodies. As we get older tiredness can lead to poorer brain function as well as risks of trips and falls
Stopping smoking and not exceeding the recommended units of alcohol in a week. Remember as we get older the effects of alcohol on us are greater.
Medication - As we get older we may have to take medication for high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol etc. It's important that you do take the advice of your GP regarding medication.
If are unsure then speak with your GP, they will listen and give you time to discuss your worries about taking medication. There are health conditions that can affect the flow of blood and oxygen in our bodies, which can impact on brain function and memories, your GP can give more advice.