Brain Health After 50: 5 Ways Women Can Protect Memory and Focus

Here's a question for you.

Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you went in there?

Forgotten someone's name in the middle of a conversation?

Read the same paragraph three times and still had no idea what you just read?

Most of us laugh those moments off.

We joke about them.

We blame it on being busy, stressed, menopause, getting older, or having too much on our minds.

But if we're being honest, there's usually a tiny voice in the back of our minds asking, is this normal or should I be worried?

And for a lot of women over 50, that's a question we're quietly carrying.

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Aging with Grace and style in our own special way.

Hey friend.

Welcome back to Aging with Grace and Style.

I'm your host, Valerie Hatcher, and I'm so glad you're here.

Whether you're out for a walk, driving to work, folding laundry, enjoying a cup of coffee, or maybe hiding in the car for five minutes of peace and quiet before heading into the house, welcome.

If you're new here, this is the podcast for women over 50 who are navigating midlife without the pressure to reinvent themselves.

Around here, we name what's real, normalize what's hard, and explore what's possible when it comes to confidence, wellness, purpose, and living fully in this next chapter.

So let's get into it.

A few months ago, I recorded an episode about brain fog.

It's episode number 130, if you missed it and y'.

All.

The response was incredible.

My inbox, my comments, my messages were filled with women saying things like, Valerie, I thought I was the only one.

Apparently, I am not the only woman who has walked into a room and immediately forgotten why I went in there.

In that episode, we talked about brain fog itself.

We talked about what might cause it, whether it was normal or when it might be something worth paying attention to.

We named the fear so many of us quietly carry.

But since then, I've been thinking a lot about something else.

Naming the fear is one thing.

Doing something about it is another.

And that's what today's conversation is about.

Recently, I watched a segment featuring Emma HEMING Willis and Dr. Nicole Birkins talking about women's brain health.

Emma shared her own experience of dealing with brain fog symptoms and going to her doctor looking for answers.

Instead, she said she felt dismissed.

She was told it was probably stress, lack of sleep, or what they call mommy brain.

She left that appointment thinking that's not the answer I wanted.

And honestly, I felt that because how many of us have walked out of a doctor's office still carrying the same questions we walked in with?

What grabbed my attention wasn't just Emma's story.

It was what happened next.

Instead of stopping there, she started learning more about brain health and what women can do to support it.

And before anybody starts spiraling, and trust me, I've been known to do a little spiraling myself.

This episode isn't about fear.

It's about empowerment.

Because the message I took away wasn't be afraid.

The message was pay attention and take action.

According to the Alzheimer's association, one in five women will develop Alzheimer's disease compared to one in 10 men, one in five.

Now, that's a statistic that gets your attention, not because we should panic, but because we should care and because there are things that we can actually do.

So today we're moving beyond the question of is something wrong with me?

And into a much more empowering conversation.

How do I protect what I've got?

So let's talk about it.

For me, this wasn't one dramatic moment.

It was a collection of little moments that started adding up.

I'd be in middle of a conversation and suddenly lose a word that I've used a thousand times.

And it wasn't some complicated vocabulary word, a regular, everyday word.

And the harder I tried to think of it, the more it seemed to disappear.

Or I'd be reading a book that I genuinely wanted to read, get to the bottom of the page and realize I couldn't tell you a single thing I had just read.

I sometimes think it's because my attention span is short.

But is it really that I've forgotten names?

I've walked into rooms with no clue why I was there.

The usual stuff many of us joke about.

But here's the part I haven't talked about much.

I've heard that dementia runs in my family.

And when you know that, it changes how you look at those little moments.

Suddenly every forgotten word gets your attention.

Every memory lapse feels a little big.

Every brain fog moment makes you wonder, maybe you can relate.

Maybe you've watched a parent, a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or someone that you love struggle with memory issues.

When you've seen that up close, it's hard not to pay attention.

And here's what's tricky.

Many of these things can be completely normal.

They can be related to stress, poor sleep, hormonal changes, being over scheduled or Simply normal aging.

But at the same time, you don't want to ignore your health either.

That's why I think this conversation is so important.

Not because I want us living in fear, quite the opposite.

I want us informed.

I want us proactive.

I want us focusing on the things we can control, because there is tremendous power in that.

What I appreciated about Emma's story is that she didn't stop at worrying.

She started learning.

She started asking questions.

She started paying attention to the things that support brain health.

And that's really what this episode is about.

Not obsessing over every forgotten word, not assuming the worst every time we lose our train of thought, but understanding that there are practical things we can do right now that support our brains and our overall quality of life moving forward.

One of the things I loved most about the conversation between Emma HEMING Willis and Dr. Nicole Birkins was how practical it was.

They broke brain health down into five pillars.

And what struck me was that none of them required a fancy program, expensive equipment, or complete life overhaul.

These are things most of us can start paying attention to right now.

The first pillar is nutrition.

Now, y' all know I'm not a nutritionist, and I'm definitely not here to hand out meal plans.

But what we eat matters.

Our brains run on fuel, and the quality of that fuel affects everything from memory and focus to mood and energy levels.

The research consistently points toward anti inflammatory foods like leafy greens, berries, healthy fats, nuts and fish as being supportive of brain health.

On the flip side, diets that are heavy in ultra processed foods and excess sugar can work against us.

One question I've started asking myself lately is, is this feeding me or just filling me?

Not in a judgmental way, just awareness.

Because sometimes we eat for nourishment and sometimes we eat because we're busy, stressed, tired, or standing in the kitchen wondering what sounds good.

Trust me, I've been there.

But if brain health is the goal, then what we put on our plate deserves a little more attention than it sometimes gets.

The second pillar is movement.

Now, before anybody rolls their eyes and says, here we go again, stay with me, we all know movement is good for us.

We've heard it a thousand times.

But what surprised me was how specifically beneficial it is for our brains.

Movement increases blood flow to the brain.

It helps support the growth of new neural connections.

It can improve mood and memory.

And here's the statistic that got my attention.

As little as 3,500 steps a day can make a meaningful difference.

Not 10,000, not two hours.

At the gym.

3,500.

I don't know about you, but that felt a little more doable.

And as a matter of fact, I have been very intentional about getting at least 3,500 steps in.

What I found even more interesting was the idea that certain types of movement challenge both your body and your brain at the same time.

So think dance classes, line dancing, step aerobics, or anything that requires you to remember patterns and sequences.

Suddenly, all those women out there having a blast line dancing don't seem so silly, do they?

They're getting movement and brain stimulation at the same time.

Now that's what I call multitasking.

The third pillar is sleep, and this one fascinated me.

Did you know while you sleep, your brain is essentially cleaning itself?

There's a system called the glymphatic system that becomes more active during sleep, and it helps clear waste products that accumulate during the day.

In other words, sleep isn't lazy, Sleep isn't optional.

Sleep isn't something that we should wear as a badge of honor when we don't get enough of it.

I used to do that.

Sleep is maintenance.

And as someone who used to spend plenty of nights scrolling just a little too long, this was a reminder that I needed to hear.

But actually, for the last several months, I've been great about getting into bed, turning off the tv, and going to sleep.

My Oura ring has a lot to do with this change.

It's totally different when the next morning you see your sleep score and you know you got a good night's sleep or you didn't.

The fourth pillar is connection.

And this one hit home and is probably the most underrated of all.

When they talk about connection, they weren't talking about social media.

They were talking about real people, real conversations, real relationships, real community, shared experiences.

Because loneliness is hard on the brain.

And let's be honest, many of us are in a season where connection looks different.

Kids grow up, people move, retirement changes, routines, caregiving responsibilities increase, life gets busy.

But connection doesn't happen accidentally.

It really requires intention, and our brains benefit from it.

So if your social circle has gotten a little quiet lately, consider this gentle reminder to reach out.

Call somebody, text someone, meet a friend for lunch, join a group.

Say yes to the invitation.

Your brain may thank you for it.

Now, the fifth pillar is mental stimulation.

Our brains need challenges.

Not overwhelmingly challenges, but not overwhelming challenges, but enough challenge to keep them engaged.

One example they shared made me laugh because it's so simple.

You know those verification codes that get texted to your phone instead of immediately copying and pasting them.

Try memorizing them.

That's it.

A tiny challenge and a tiny brain workout.

They also talked about games like mahjong puzzles or learning new skills, learning a language, taking a class, or, simply put, putting yourself in situations where you're a beginner again.

That uncomfortable feeling of not knowing what you're doing, that's often your brain growing.

As I was listening to this conversation, I realized something.

This really isn't just about memory.

It's about life.

It's about being able to present for the moments that matter.

It's about remembering the stories your granddaughter tells you.

It's about having the energy and clarity to participate fully in your own life.

That's what we're protecting.

Not perfection, not some impossible standard.

We're protecting our ability to stay connected, curious, engaged, and fully alive.

And honestly, that's worth investing in.

Now I know what happens when we hear information like this.

We get inspired and motivated, and we tell ourselves we're going to change everything, starting tomorrow.

And then life happens.

I've done it.

I'm not asking you to overhaul your entire life.

I'm asking you to pick one pillar.

One small step, one change.

Maybe it's adding a walk.

Maybe it's prioritizing sleep.

Maybe it's calling a friend.

Maybe it's learning something new.

Maybe it's making one a healthier meal choice.

Just one.

Because the real change doesn't happen through dramatic transformations.

It happens through small decisions repeated consistently over time.

And here's what I want you to remember.

It's not too late.

The choices you make today matter.

Not 10 years from now, not someday when life slows down, but today.

You are not behind.

You're not too old.

You're not out of time.

You are right on time.

That's one of the most encouraging things that I've learned while researching this topic.

The brain is remarkably adaptable.

It continues to respond to how we live.

So let's bring it home.

Today we talked about five pillars of brain.

Nutrition, movement, sleep connection, and mental stimulation.

Not because we're afraid of aging, not because we're waiting for something to go wrong, but because we want to support our brains the same way we support the rest of our bodies.

Because our brains carry us through every conversation, every relationship, every dream, every memory, and every moment that matters.

I think one of my favorite takeaways from this entire conversation is this.

Your brain has been carrying you your whole life.

It's time to start carrying it back.

Maybe it's time we stop thinking about brain health as something we worry about later and start thinking about it as something we nurture today.

Because this really isn't just about memory.

It's about being able to stay engaged in the life we're still creating.

It's about protecting our ability to keep learning, loving, laughing, growing, and showing up for the people and the experiences that matter most.

And you know what?

That's a future worth investing in.

Before I let you go, here's your reflection question for the week.

Which of the five pillars needs the most attention in your life right now?

And what's one thing you can do about it this week?

Just one Write it down.

Make it real.

And if you'd like to share it, come find me on Instagram at I am Valerie Hatcher.

I'd love to hear what you're working on.

If today's episode resonated with you, please share it with another woman in your life.

Chances are she's had some of the same thoughts, concerns and questions.

Sometimes the best thing we can do is to remind each other that we're not alone and that there are things that we can do.

And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

And if you have a minute, I would be so grateful if you'd leave a review.

It helps more women find the show and join these conversations.

Until next time, keep aging with grace, style, and a touch of sass.

I'll see you next week.

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Until next time, keep shining with grace, style, and a touch of sass.