Dementia: 9 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Reduce Your Risk Of Dementia

We have all heard the idiom ‘better late than never'. Many of us fail to follow a healthy diet, or lifestyle strictly. This lack of healthy life choices can increase our risk of many chronic diseases. Poor lifestyle can cause damage to our physical and mental health.

While there is currently no known way to prevent or treat dementia, the decisions you make in middle age can help to maintain brain health as you age. Keep reading as we share some midlife lifestyle choices you can make to lower your risk of dementia. 

Make these lifestyle changes today to reduce risk of dementia:

1. Manage blood sugar levels

Chronic and acute hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and other putative pathways that raise the risk of dementia are all influenced by high blood sugar levels. Hypoglycemia, memory loss, and dementia may also result from tight blood sugar control. The hippocampus, the brain's memory centre, is damaged by low blood sugar levels.

2. Manage blood pressure

Besides from treating high blood pressure and lowering the risk of cardiovascular illness, medications also help with dementia and Alzheimer's disease symptoms. A recent study found that decreasing high blood pressure reduced the incidence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment.

3. Stay active

Regular physical activity can cut your chance of getting Alzheimer's by up to 50%. Exercise can help stop cognitive impairments from getting worse in people who have already started to experience them. Exercise boosts the brain's capacity to preserve existing connections as well as form new ones, protecting against Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

4. Eat right

The risk of dementia will decrease with a balanced diet. It might be beneficial to follow the MIND (Mediterranean DASH intervention for the neurodegenerative delay) diet. This diet includes a DASH diet, which lowers high blood pressure, a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.

5. Maintain healthy weight

The chance of developing dementia will be lowered if you keep a healthy weight. We recommend consuming less calories from saturated and trans fats, added sugar, and sodium while maintaining a diet high in nutrients.

6. Focus on your mental health 

Every element of a person's life will be impacted by their mood and mental health. There is a connection between good physical health and good mental health. If either health is compromised, it could lead to heart disease, fatigue, sleep problems, digestive problems, and other health problems.

7. Quit smoking today

One of the most avoidable risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer's disease is smoking. According to a study, smokers over the age of 65 have a roughly 80% increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared to non-smokers. The brain experiences enhanced circulation nearly immediately after quitting smoking.

8. Get good sleep

There are several connections between irregular sleep habits and the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's. Studies have stressed the significance of getting enough rest to clear the brain of toxins. Others have connected inadequate slumber to increased brain levels of beta-amyloid, a sticky substance that can further thwart the deep sleep required for memory development.

9. Stay social

We are very sociable creatures. Our brains and we do not function well in isolation. Maintaining a solid social network should be a top priority because staying socially active may even shield against dementia and Alzheimer's disease symptoms in later life.

Reduce your risk of dementia by making these lifestyle changes today.

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.