Forgetting a name at a party feels embarrassing at any age. But after 65, that same moment can trigger something far more unsettling — a quiet fear that something deeper might be going wrong. Dr. Richard Restak, a neurologist, neuropsychiatrist, and former president of the American Neuropsychiatric Association, wants older adults to understand the difference between normal forgetfulness and genuine cause for concern. And he has a clear message about one daily habit he believes people over 65 should eliminate entirely.
Restak addressed these concerns in an interview in August 2022, arguing that alcohol deserves far more serious attention from older adults who want to protect their memory and cognitive health as they age. His warning is direct and grounded in decades of work studying how the brain changes over time.
The message resonates because memory slips are so common — and so commonly misunderstood. Knowing which lapses are harmless and which ones signal something worth addressing could make a real difference for millions of people.
Why Alcohol Is the Habit Dr. Restak Wants You to Drop
Among the lifestyle factors that affect brain health after 65, Restak singles out alcohol as the one people most consistently underestimate. His recommendation is not to cut back or drink more carefully — it is to stop altogether.
The reasoning connects directly to how the aging brain processes and stores information. Cognitive health, as defined by the National Institute on Aging, is the ability to think, learn, and remember clearly. That capacity can be supported or undermined by everyday choices, and alcohol is one of the most significant daily variables within a person’s control.
Some risk factors for cognitive decline cannot be changed. Age, genetics, and family history are fixed. But daily habits are not. And for adults over 65, Restak’s position is that alcohol represents a modifiable risk that is not worth carrying.
When Forgetting Is Normal — and When It Is Not
One of the most useful parts of Restak’s perspective is the distinction he draws between ordinary forgetfulness and the kind of memory changes that deserve medical attention. Not every lapse is a warning sign, and understanding the difference matters.
Many everyday memory failures come down to attention, not disease. If the brain never properly stored a piece of information in the first place, it cannot retrieve it later. That is not memory loss — it is a storage gap.
Common examples of this kind of normal forgetfulness include:
- Forgetting why you walked into a room
- Blanking on a name during a conversation
- Losing track of where you parked after leaving a store
These happen because the brain was not fully engaged at the moment the information needed to be encoded. Distraction, multitasking, and low attentional focus are the culprits — not neurological decline.
The more concerning changes are the ones that feel genuinely out of character. Restak points to examples like finding car keys in unexpected places as a signal that something different may be happening. The distinction between “I wasn’t paying attention” and “I truly cannot account for this” is worth paying close attention to.
What the Research Says About Lifestyle and Cognitive Decline
Restak’s warning does not exist in isolation. The National Institute on Aging has noted that cognitive health is shaped over time by a combination of factors, and that lifestyle habits can help lower the risk of cognitive decline. That framing matters — it places agency in the hands of the individual, even when some risks remain outside their control.
| Type of Memory Lapse | Likely Cause | Level of Concern |
|---|---|---|
| Forgetting why you entered a room | Low attention at time of action | Generally normal |
| Blanking on a name mid-conversation | Information not fully encoded | Generally normal |
| Losing track of where you parked | Distraction during routine task | Generally normal |
| Finding keys in unexpected locations | Potentially out-of-character behavior | Worth monitoring |
The factors that cannot be changed — age, genetics — make the modifiable ones more important, not less. If alcohol is a daily habit and it is one of the variables a person can actually control, Restak’s argument is that removing it is a straightforward protective step.
Who This Warning Is Most Relevant For
Restak’s message is directed specifically at adults over 65. That age threshold is not arbitrary. The brain changes with age in ways that affect how it handles various stressors, including alcohol. What the body and brain could manage at 40 or 50 may carry different consequences at 65 and beyond.
For people in that age group who already notice occasional memory slips, the warning carries additional weight. Restak’s position is that protecting cognitive health requires treating the brain with a seriousness that many people reserve for heart health or physical fitness — and that alcohol is incompatible with that goal.
For family members and caregivers of older adults, this also offers a useful framework. Not every moment of forgetfulness signals dementia. But patterns that feel out of character, or that the person themselves finds alarming, are worth discussing with a medical professional.
What Older Adults Can Do With This Information
Restak’s recommendation is clear: if you are over 65 and you drink alcohol regularly, his advice is to eliminate it. That is a significant lifestyle change, and one that should ideally be discussed with a doctor — particularly for anyone who has been drinking consistently for years.
Beyond alcohol, the broader takeaway from his perspective is that cognitive health is not simply a matter of fate. Attention to daily habits, awareness of what normal forgetfulness looks like versus what is genuinely concerning, and a willingness to take the brain’s needs seriously are all within reach.
Memory slips will happen. The question is whether the habits surrounding them are making things better or worse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dr. Richard Restak?
Dr. Richard Restak is a neurologist and neuropsychiatrist who served as former president of the American Neuropsychiatric Association. He has spoken publicly about brain health and cognitive decline in older adults.
What daily habit does Dr. Restak recommend eliminating for people over 65?
Dr. Restak recommends that adults over 65 eliminate alcohol entirely, arguing it poses a significant risk to memory and cognitive health as the brain ages.
Is it normal to forget names or lose track of where you parked?
According to the framework Restak describes, these types of lapses are generally considered normal and are often caused by low attention at the moment information needed to be stored — not by neurological disease.
What kinds of memory changes should raise concern?
Restak points to changes that feel out of character, such as finding car keys in unexpected locations, as examples that may warrant closer attention and possibly a conversation with a doctor.
Does the National Institute on Aging support the idea that lifestyle affects cognitive health?
Yes. The National Institute on Aging has stated that cognitive health — defined as the ability to think, learn, and remember clearly — can be influenced by lifestyle habits, which may help lower the risk of cognitive decline over time.</p
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