Living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early Alzheimer’s can feel like walking around with a cloud over your head. You may find yourself constantly worrying about it progressing to dementia.
While it’s not always possible to prevent dementia, there are research-backed, lifestyle steps you can take to slow the decline of memory and thinking skills. Keep reading to learn how.
1. Get Your Steps In
When it comes to lowering your risk of dementia, “I would put exercise at the top of the list,” says Dylan Wint, MD, a neurologist and psychiatrist who specializes in neurodegenerative disorders and serves as the medical director of Cleveland Clinic Nevada in Las Vegas.
Exercise improves blood flow to the brain and reduces inflammation. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Brisk walking is an excellent start.
2. Exercise Your Mind, Too
“Use it or lose it” also applies to your brain. The Alzheimer’s Association notes that engaging in mentally stimulating activities can lower your risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Make it a habit to challenge yourself: Do crossword puzzles, learn a foreign language, or take a painting class.
3. Follow the MIND Diet
4. Find Your Purpose
Research shows that having a sense of purpose in life may reduce your risk of dementia. Participants in a study who reported having a higher sense of purpose were nearly 30 percent less likely to develop cognitive impairment, including dementia. Figure out what gives your life meaning — whether that’s spending time with your grandchildren, volunteering, or mentoring people in your community — and make a point of engaging in it regularly.
5. Catch More Z’s
When it comes to shut-eye, quantity and quality matter. You’ll know you got a good night’s sleep when you wake up feeling perky, Wint notes. Quality sleep is critical to cognitive health, because it’s the time when your brain clears out harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s, he says.
Also, make sure you nod off at the right time. How do you know when to fall asleep? Listen to your body’s cues. Your body has a circadian rhythm — a built-in, internal clock, so to speak — that tells you when to fall asleep and when to wake up. When you start to feel tired, that’s your sign that it’s time to tuck in for the night.
6. Stress Less
7. Build a Care Team
People who have the help of a structured support system (enlisting the help of professionals, such as diet and exercise coaches) experience more memory and brain performance benefits than those who implement lifestyle changes on their own.
If getting formal support isn’t possible, find an accountability buddy, such as a family member or friend. You can set up walking dates and cook healthy meals together.
The Takeaway
- It’s not always possible to stave off dementia, but there are steps you can take to slow the loss of memory and thinking skills.
- Some research-backed, lifestyle strategies to prevent dementia include exercising regularly, getting enough quality sleep, and sticking to the MIND diet.
- Keeping your mind active with puzzles and language classes, as well as finding a higher purpose in life, can also help prevent dementia.
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