Brain health: Why a Mayo Clinic-trained neurologist wants you to stop using GPS

Dementia is becoming a growing concern in the US, and it’s not just something that affects “old age.” With an aging population and longer life spans, the number of people living with dementia is climbing fast.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type, but there are other forms too, all impacting memory, thinking, and daily life. Experts say lifestyle factors like poor diet, inactivity, and even constant stress can raise your risk. The scary part? There’s still no cure. That’s why brain health tips, from staying active to learning new skills, are more important now than ever.A few months before, a neurologist trained at Mayo Clinic and University of Minnesota (as per his Instagram profile), shared an interesting information for all on social media.

In a short video, the expert listed three habits that can help one reduce the risk of dementia and improve brain health and one among them was turning off GPS."GPS makes our lives too convenient. Relying too much on GPS can weaken your brain's spatial memory," he said. Multiple studies have found that people who habitually use GPS navigation tend to have poorer spatial memory. When navigating without GPS, these individuals struggle more to remember routes, recognize landmarks, and form mental “maps” of their environment.

The hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory and navigation, is less active when we follow turn-by-turn GPS instructions compared to navigating independently. Over time, relying on GPS means this area of the brain gets less “exercise”.Some research, including studies on London taxi drivers (who learn city layouts by memory), suggests that exercising navigation skills can actually increase the size and function of the hippocampus.

In contrast, people who heavily use GPS may experience a lack of growth or even shrinkage in these regions as they age.

"It’s interesting what you said about GPS. I have observed recently that UBER drivers in my city do not know their way around. Some can’t even follow the instructions on their GPS. I remember taxi drivers, in my younger days, really knew their way around the city," writes one user. "When I was kid I could visualize exactly where I was and where I was going.

I always new what direction I was facing (north,south etc) but these days I only know the sky is up cause it’s blue," writes another.

Key takeaways

GPS reduces spatial memory and mental mapping abilities with heavy, long-term use. This is due to less engagement and exercise of the hippocampus.There is no evidence that GPS alone causes dementia. However, it may contribute to reduced cognitive reserve in the hippocampus, which could make the symptoms of dementia more apparent or severe if the disease develops.Maintaining navigation skills is important for brain health. Try occasionally navigating without GPS, paying attention to landmarks, or practicing new routes to challenge your brain.

The other two changes suggested by the doctor

Excessive intake of energy drinks, and sleeping with lights on are the two lesser known triggers of dementia he said. Energy drinks are loaded with caffeine and sugar, which might give you a quick buzz, but constant overconsumption can mess with your heart, blood vessels, and even brain chemistry.

Over the years, that stress on your body could contribute to memory and cognitive decline. Then there’s the light-at-night problem — your brain needs darkness to produce melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep and repair.

If you’re snoozing with the TV glowing or the lights on, your sleep quality tanks, and your brain misses out on the deep rest it needs to stay sharp. Both habits might seem harmless now, but your future self could thank you for cutting back on the energy drinks and hitting the lights at bedtime.