Brain health refers to the ability to remember, learn, plan, concentrate and maintain a clear, active mind.

Your brain changes as you age. It’s natural. But the central mission of your brain never changes. Its job is to help you make sense of the world and oversee your daily operations and life.

It’s being able to draw on the strengths of your brain—information management, logic, judgment, perspective and wisdom. Brain health is also a key part of your overall health.

So when should you start concerning yourself with brain health? Now! By taking steps to help keep your brain and body healthy, you can enhance your life now and even help reduce some risks to your brain as you age.

The only constant about your brain is that it’s always changing. Change in brain function is to be expected as you age. Even after your brain reaches maturity, it’s still changing.

It’s called “brain plasticity”—as we experience the world, practice habits and learn new information, our brains change, grow new connections and repair broken ones. As we age, our experiences and knowledge keep our brains working, developing and learning.

Understanding that not all changes are a sign of concern is important. We all lose our keys and forget people’s names. We do it throughout our entire lives. It’s not until we’re older that these common mishaps cause us worry. It’s also important to know there are several other reasons lapses in memory occur like certain medications, lack of sleep and excessive alcohol. Change in brain function is to be expected as you age.