When most people think about staying young, the focus is often on strength, flexibility, or a healthy heart. While these things are essential, if you want to protect your health span, you must also safeguard your brainspan — your brain’s ability to stay sharp, adaptable, and resilient throughout life.

One of the most powerful allies in protecting your brainspan is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a naturally occurring protein essential for keeping your brain cells healthy and thriving.

BDNF acts like high-grade fertilizer for your neurons. It supports their growth, strengthens the connections between them, and extends their lifespan. Higher BDNF levels help your brain form new pathways, repair damage, and adapt to new challenges — all of which are essential for learning, memory, mood, and long-term brain health.

Why BDNF Matters

BDNF functions as a master regulator for your brain’s maintenance and performance:

• Preserves brain cell health so they function longer.
  
• Drives new connections to support learning and memory.
  
• Protects against age-related decline, maintaining cognitive agility.
  
• Supports mood regulation through its influence on key neurotransmitters.

When BDNF levels drop — something that can occur with chronic stress, poor sleep, inactivity, or certain illnesses — your brain’s ability to adapt and repair slows. Low BDNF is linked to depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and slower recovery after brain injury or stroke.

The Good News: You Can Influence It

BDNF is activity-dependent, meaning your daily choices directly affect it.

Evidence-backed ways to increase BDNF:

1. Move your body – Aerobic and resistance exercise are among the most reliable ways to elevate BDNF, making them the most consistent and effective mechanism.
   
2. Challenge your brain – Learning a new language, skill, or instrument pushes your brain to form new pathways.
   
3. Eat for brain health – Omega-3-rich foods (salmon, walnuts, flax) and polyphenol-rich foods (blueberries, cocoa, green tea) support BDNF production.
   
4. Prioritize restorative sleep – Deep sleep is when your brain consolidates learning, clears waste, and restores neural balance. Keep a consistent schedule and aim for a bedtime that allows you to take advantage of your body’s natural early-night deep sleep peak. Avoid screens and bright light before bed, keep your room dark cool and quiet, and limit alcohol and caffeine, particularly in the hours before bedtime.
   
5. Manage stress – Chronic stress chemicals suppress BDNF; mindfulness, breathing practices, or time in nature can help reverse the effect.

BDNF and Your Healthspan

I see BDNF as part of the bigger picture of lifelong performance — not just preserving your body’s capacity, but keeping your nervous system adaptable for decades. Strong muscles and cardiovascular fitness are essential, but your brain’s ability to learn, adapt, and recover is equally important for living well into your 70s, 80s, and beyond.

Supporting healthy BDNF levels means safeguarding the quality of your future years — preserving your ability to recall names and important details, pick up new skills or hobbies, and adapt to life’s inevitable changes with confidence. It’s about keeping your mind as agile as your body, so you can fully engage with the people, passions, and experiences that make life rich. In the context of brainspan, maintaining robust BDNF is like maintaining the wiring and circuits that allow you to think clearly, connect deeply, and navigate the world with independence well into later life.

Bottom line: If exercise is the best medicine for your body, BDNF is the best fertilizer for your brain. Every choice you make — to move, eat well, sleep deeply, and challenge your mind — can help rewire, strengthen, and future-proof your brain for the long haul.