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Health / Fri, 12 Jun 2026 Hindustan Times

Brain feeling ‘rusty’ after 30? Neuroscientist shares 5 habits to stay sharp: ‘Meditation twice daily’

Activities like exercise, meditation, and a balanced diet contribute to cognitive performance and combat age-related decline, ensuring the brain remains adaptable and capable of growth. Hear it from an expert on how to combat the early decline of cognitive performance. Tony Nader, MD, PhD, a neuroscientist, walked us through some daily habits that can lower the chances of your brain feeling ‘rusty’ after 30. But all hope is not lost, as you can still keep your brain sharp. You can counter this, though, with better daily habits that help preserve creativity and mental clarity.

Cognitive performance does not remain the same throughout life. After a certain point, it may begin to dip, and this can become noticeable through everyday memory lapses, such as misplacing keys, forgetting why you entered a room, or finding it difficult to focus for long periods. These changes start in the 30s. But should you simply put up with them, become complacent, accept them as a normal part of ageing, or are there ways to keep your brain sharp for longer? Activities like exercise, meditation, and a balanced diet contribute to cognitive performance and combat age-related decline, ensuring the brain remains adaptable and capable of growth.

Hear it from an expert on how to combat the early decline of cognitive performance. Tony Nader, MD, PhD, a neuroscientist, walked us through some daily habits that can lower the chances of your brain feeling ‘rusty’ after 30.

But all hope is not lost, as you can still keep your brain sharp. The neuroscientist stated, “Brain remains capable of positive change throughout life. Neuroscience refers to this adaptability as neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganise itself, strengthen neural pathways, and continue learning over time.”

This means that your daily habits can act as a backbone for cognitive health and mental clarity in many ways. But what exactly makes your brain feel ‘rusty’? Is it actually becoming rusty? The neuroscientist explained that while many people may describe it this way in their brain, what is actually could be different.

“Brain may instead reflect the cumulative effects of stress, overstimulation, fatigue, and insufficient recovery,” Dr Nader clarified.

You can counter this, though, with better daily habits that help preserve creativity and mental clarity.

Here are the best habits that help protect your brain:

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