Reducing your risk of dementia

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Reducing your risk of dementia

There are several steps you can take to help reduce your risk of developing dementia, including staying physically active, eating a balanced diet, and keeping your brain engaged.

Research shows that lifestyle choices play a significant role in determining dementia risk. The lowest risk is observed in people who maintain healthy habits during mid-life (ages 40-65). While no single lifestyle change guarantees dementia prevention, some behaviors are easier to adopt than others and can help lower the risk.

 

Stay Active with Exercise

Engaging in regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of dementia. Exercise benefits your heart, circulation, weight, and mental health.

There are two main types of physical activity: aerobic exercise and strength training. Both types have unique benefits, and combining them will provide comprehensive protection against dementia.

 

Limit Alcohol Consumption

Excessive alcohol consumption can increase your chances of developing dementia. If you drink, it's important to do so in moderation and follow the recommended guidelines. Drinking large amounts of alcohol at once exposes your brain to harmful chemicals.

To lower your risk, aim to consume no more than 14 units of alcohol per week—about one pint of beer or a small glass of wine each day. Regularly drinking more than this amount increases the risk of brain and organ damage, which can lead to dementia.

 

Avoid Smoking

Smoking significantly raises your risk of developing dementia. It harms blood circulation, particularly in the brain, as well as the heart and lungs.

It’s never too late to quit smoking. The earlier you stop, the more you can prevent damage to your brain and body.

 

Maintain Mental and Social Wellbeing

Mental health conditions like depression are common and can increase the risk of dementia. Those who have experienced depression during their lives are more likely to develop dementia later.

Social isolation also contributes to a higher risk of dementia. Staying socially engaged can help build your brain's ability to manage stress and improve your mood.

 

Manage Chronic Health Conditions

Certain conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, are associated with a higher dementia risk. Managing these conditions through regular health check-ups is important.

Additionally, an unhealthy diet that leads to obesity can contribute to health problems that increase dementia risk.

 

Protect Your Vision and Hearing

Uncorrected vision loss can raise the risk of dementia, but using corrective lenses or treatment does not have the same effect.

Hearing loss is another risk factor, and it may even indicate early signs of dementia. Addressing hearing loss early, such as with hearing aids, can reduce the risk and bring it closer to the level of someone with normal hearing.

 

Safeguard Your Head

Traumatic brain injuries, especially those that cause unconsciousness, can trigger processes in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease. These injuries can lead to the buildup of harmful substances in the brain.

Wearing protective headgear during activities that involve a higher risk of head injury, such as biking, construction work, or sports like cricket and horseback riding, is essential.

Research is still needed to fully understand the long-term dementia risks associated with contact sports like rugby and football. However, ensuring proper management of concussions and head injuries is critical.

 

Be Aware of Environmental Risks

Certain types of air pollution are linked to an increased risk of dementia. While it’s difficult for individuals to completely control exposure to polluted air, being mindful of environmental factors can help you make healthier lifestyle choices.

 

Based on original content by:

 

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/managing-the-risk-of-dementia/reduce-your-risk-of-dementia

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Watching tv for days on end is bad too

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Ways to lower your risk of dementia

There are things you can do to reduce your own risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's.

No single behaviour is guaranteed to prevent dementia - but there's lots of evidence to suggest that making tweaks to your lifestyle choices could affect your risk.

Dementia risk is lowest in people who have healthy behaviours in mid-life - from the age of 40 to 65 - according Alzheimer's Society.

Here are a few easy changes you can make:

1. Exercise regularly to boost your heart health and circulation and help maintain a healthy weight.
2. Drink less alcohol - try to have no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, about one pint of beer or a small glass of wine each day. If you regularly drink much more than this, you are increasing your risk of damage to your brain and other organs, and so increasing your risk of dementia.
3. Don't smoke - it does a lot of harm to the circulation of blood around the body, particularly the blood vessels in the brain, as well as the heart and lungs.
4. Engaging in social activities to help to build up your brain’s ability to relieve stress and improve your mood - depression and social isolation have both been linked to dementia.
5. Manage health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, which can increase the risk of getting dementia. 
6. Protect your eyesight and hearing - vision loss increases a person’s risk of developing dementia. The same goes for hearing loss, which can also be an early symptom of dementia. 
7. Wear a helmet - as traumatic brain injuries  can start a process in the brain where the substances that cause Alzheimer’s disease build up around the injured area.

Source: Alzheimer's Society

 

taxi drivers are less likely

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