Around 850,000 people in the UK have dementia. And this number is set to grow even higher by 2025, reaching more than one million, the NHS reports. Unfortunately, there’s no certain way to prevent this syndrome yet as research is still trying to understand how it develops. However, there are a few ways that can help lower your risk.
Research shows what’s good for your heart is good for your brain, the NHS explains. So good sleep, exercise and a healthy diet can help cut your risk.
One extra thing that’s only beneficial for your brain is keeping your brain active, also known as a brain exercise.
Good sleep
Research shows there’s a link between poor sleep and dementia.
The latest study published in the National Institutes of Health found that people aged between 50 and 60 years, who only got six hours of sleep or less, were 30 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia later.
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The research looked at almost 8,000 people from the UK and compared the data of “normal” sleepers, who slept for more than seven hours, to people getting less rest.
Their findings suggest that having less sleep during midlife can lead to a higher risk of cognitive decline later on.
However, the researchers can’t confirm whether sleep is the reason for dementia or if it’s only one of the early signs of an ongoing cognitive decline.
Dr Séverine Sabia added: “While we cannot confirm that not sleeping enough actually increases the risk of dementia, there are plenty of reasons why a good night’s sleep might be good for brain health.
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The research looked at almost 8,000 people from the UK and compared the data of “normal” sleepers, who slept for more than seven hours, to people getting less rest.
Their findings suggest that having less sleep during midlife can lead to a higher risk of cognitive decline later on.
However, the researchers can’t confirm whether sleep is the reason for dementia or if it’s only one of the early signs of an ongoing cognitive decline.
Dr Séverine Sabia added: “While we cannot confirm that not sleeping enough actually increases the risk of dementia, there are plenty of reasons why a good night’s sleep might be good for brain health.”
Exercise
Physical activity is one of the “best” ways to cut your risk of dementia, according to Alzheimer’s Society.
They recommend finding exercise you enjoy as only 10 minutes at a time is great for your health.
The NHS advises doing at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. This can be anything from brisk walking to dancing.
The key thing is to ditch long periods of sitting. Sit less and try to take the stairs when you can, the health service states.
Brain exercise
Keeping your brain active is a fun way that can reduce your risk of cognitive decline.
Some activities to try listed by the charity are:
- Studying for a qualification, course, or fun
- Learning a new language
- Doing puzzles, crosswords and quizzes
- Playing card games or board games
- Reading challenging books or writing.
Doing your chosen brain exercises regularly is crucial for it to work.
The charity states: “It’s important to find something that you’ll keep up.”
