Disease prevention often focuses on heart disease and cancer, but brain health seems to be less talked about. Perhaps this is because heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with cancer ranking second, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, in seventh place is Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia.
Although dementia is a general term that refers to a decline in memory, reasoning, and other thinking skills, Alzheimer’s disease accounts for the majority of dementia cases and is a specific disease that affects approximately 7 million people in the United States, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. It is a brain disease.
As with any disease, genes can influence your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but a healthy lifestyle has been shown to reduce your risk of dementia, regardless of your genetic makeup.
The sooner you start practicing healthy lifestyle habits, the better. This is because the brain changes that lead to Alzheimer’s disease can begin at least 20 years before symptoms appear. Known risk factors for dementia include not getting enough exercise, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and hearing loss.
With a long list of risk factors, where do you start? Keep reading to learn how you can start making changes to your brain health today.
The best habits to start now to reduce your risk of dementia
If you aren’t already doing it regularly, exercising is the best habit to start right now. Being physically active has many benefits, including strengthening your heart, lungs, and muscles, improving your mood, and reducing your risk of diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
As far as the brain is concerned, one study suggests that exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which may be one reason why it reduces the risk of dementia.
The study involved 70 men and women between the ages of 55 and 80 who had been diagnosed with mild memory loss. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups for 12 months. One group completed regular stretching sessions, and the other group completed four to five exercise sessions per week, two of which were high-intensity, lasting 30 to 40 minutes each. (Exercise groups started with three 25- to 30-minute sessions per week and progressed over a one-year study period.)
After a year, people in the exercise group had less stiff neck blood vessels and increased blood flow to the brain. Similar beneficial changes were not seen in the stretching-only group.
“There’s still a lot we don’t know about the effects of exercise on cognitive decline in later life,” said co-investigator Dr. C. Munro Karam, professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. says. “Mild cognitive impairment and dementia are likely influenced by a complex interaction of many factors, and exercise is likely to be one of those factors, at least for some people. ”
The study suggests that while it is too early to tell whether increased blood flow directly affects memory or other cognitive functions, increased blood flow may precede changes in cognition, researchers say. states. This finding will help direct their future research.
“This is part of a growing body of evidence linking exercise and brain health,” says Ron Chan, Ph.D., a professor of neurology at UTSWMC who led the study. “We are the first to show in a randomized trial in these older adults that exercise increases blood flow to the brain.”
Other studies have also shown a link between physical activity and brain health. For example, one research review found that physical activity was associated with a 20% lower incidence of all-cause dementia and a 14% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Another review also found a small but significant association between higher levels of physical activity and better cognitive performance later in life.
Other research shows that people who have difficulty moving, such as people with osteoarthritis, may benefit from minimal physical activity. Compared to people who were not physically active, people who walked for 15 to 30 minutes once or twice a week had a 52% reduced risk of dementia. Those who walked at least three times a week had an 81% lower risk.
Although more research is needed, there are some clues as to why physical activity may improve cognitive function. For example, one study suggests that exercise may directly influence many of the brain changes involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In other words, exercise can affect the brain at a cellular level.
How to incorporate more activity for brain health
If you don’t currently engage in regular physical activity, today is the perfect day to start. It can be something as simple as a walk around your neighborhood. Start where you are and gradually increase the duration and intensity over time.
Try new activities like pickleball, dancing, or yoga. Learning something new also improves your brain health. People who are already addicted to exercise say they feel great after a workout, but that feeling may not come for a while. But once you get into the habit and move your body in a way that brings you joy, you might just really love it.
Other habits for a healthy brain
Boost your brain power with these additional habits.
Eat a balanced diet: One example is the MIND diet, which combines the Mediterranean diet with the DASH diet, which is designed for healthy blood pressure. This includes eating enough whole grains, leafy vegetables, berries, fish, nuts, and legumes. And vegetables. There is evidence that eating according to the MIND diet can reduce your risk of cognitive decline, even if you are already experiencing symptoms. Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep increases stress and is associated with increased risk of dementia. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night. Waking up at the same time every morning, exercising, and avoiding blue light before bed can help you get a better night’s sleep. Connect with others: Social isolation and loneliness are linked to depression and dementia. Conversely, people who maintain close social relationships have been shown to have younger brains. Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Both of these can accelerate cognitive decline. Even moderate amounts of alcohol have been shown to reduce brain volume. To reduce your alcohol intake, try one of the following non-alcoholic drinks.
conclusion
Exercise, or lack thereof, affects health on many levels, including the brain. Research shows that physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which may help maintain cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease. If you’re not currently physically active, take short exercise breaks during the day and build a regular routine from there.
