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Your Brain’s Best Day

How to make your next 24 hours happy, healthy, and smart

Illustration of a clock in a person's head

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En español | When educator and writer E. M. Kaye turned 70, she decided to enter the USA Memory Championship, becoming the oldest contestant ever to compete. “I didn’t win, but I didn’t come in last either. I achieved my goal,” she says.

To make her mark in what is traditionally a young person’s competition (all winners have been in their 20s to 40s), Kaye trained for a year. She ate brain-healthy foods, walked as much as she could, got more sleep, had more face-to-face conversations, avoided social media and learned something new each day. She even hired a juggling coach.

“Our brain is amazing,” Kaye says. “It’s like a series of roads: When you connect two neurons, you’re building a road, and the little synapse is like a bridge over the road. You have to have lots of them, because if something happens to one of the roads, you need a lot of detours available to get where you need to go.”

Researchers have confirmed that lifestyle changes like those Kaye took on can make a significant difference in the life of your brain. We searched the literature and consulted with experts to map out the next 24 hours and turn them into an ideal healthy day for your brain.