We think of aging as something that happens to the body and, increasingly, to the brain. Headlines warn us about memory loss, dementia and the slow decline of cognitive function. In response, we are told to exercise more, eat well, drink less alcohol, control our blood pressure and sleep better. All of these are important in making our brains more resilient and less likely to develop dementia . But research also shows that while we worry about protecting the brain, we often overlook the need to