Dementia: Can Lifestyle Changes Slowdown Cognitive Decline?

Toxins accumulate in the brain over time, including beta-amyloid plaques and tau proteins, which are linked to ageing and cognitive loss. Although this is a normal aspect of becoming older, several things might make it worse. Stress, neurotoxins like alcohol, and inadequate sleep (both in terms of quality and quantity) might hasten the process.

While there is no known cure or preventive for Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias, living a healthy lifestyle may help reduce risk factors that have been linked to these conditions. Continue reading as we share tips to help lower your risk of dementia and cognitive decline. 

Make these lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of dementia:

1. Reduce alcohol intake

Older research have found a possible link between daily alcohol consumption and a reduced risk of dementia, but experts do not advise drinking to stave off cognitive deterioration. If you occasionally enjoy an alcoholic beverage, you should keep your intake to one drink per day or less. 

2. Get good sleep

Consistently getting quality sleep is believed to enhance general health and may stave off cognitive deterioration. Many vital bodily processes, many of them occurring in the brain, depend on our bodies getting a particular amount of regular sleep. According to studies, those who routinely get less sleep than the advised seven to eight hours per night do worse on tests of mental acuity. This might be the case since memories and learning are solidified as we sleep.

3. Manage blood sugar

Diabetes can result from abnormally high blood sugar or glucose levels, which also raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and cognitive decline. Blood sugar levels can be controlled by eating a balanced diet, exercising frequently, quitting smoking, and monitoring glucose levels.

4. Eat right

Look for a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and seafood, unsaturated fats like olive oil, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and avoid eating excessive amounts of additional fats and carbohydrates. Eating a well balanced diet is key to a healthy brain and body. 

5. Stay active

Numerous health advantages of physical activity include lowering blood pressure, preventing high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, and stroke. Aim for 150 minutes or more of moderate-intensity exercise each week.

6. Quit smoking

You greatly increase your chance of getting dementia later in life if you smoke. The blood vessels in the brain, heart, and lungs, as well as the blood vessels throughout the body, are particularly damaged by smoking. It's never too late to stop using tobacco. However, the more brain damage you will prevent the earlier you stop.

7. Interact socially

Participating in mental or social activities can strengthen your brain's capacity to handle illness, reduce stress, and enhance your mood. As a result, engaging in these activities may help to postpone or even halt the onset of dementia. Find mental challenges you enjoy doing and do them frequently. You may do crossword puzzles or puzzles, but there are many more things you could do. Anything that stimulates the mind, analyses information, and improves thinking abilities is beneficial to the brain and lowers risk.

Keep these tips in mind to reduce your risk of cognitive decline caused by ageing and other factors. 

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.