How You Can Ward Off Dementia

We all want to give dementia the flick pass, yeah? Enjoying your golden years and being able to re-tell your life's adventures sounds like a much better option than developing dementia.

We've already looked at the MIND Diet and how it can help ward off dementia. But as it turns out, altering your diet isn’t the only thing you can do to keep your brain in tip-top shape. Let's take a look at the other ways you can decrease your chances of cognitive decline.

Not only is regular physical activity linked to better cognitive function, but it also fights the hormones that increase stress. It keeps your arteries healthy, meaning that you get sufficient blood flow to the brain. And it doesn't need to be particularly strenuous either, it just needs to be performed consistently. Try dancing, walking and gardening, or incorporating some more incidental exercise into your life. 

Getting at least seven hours of high-quality sleep is essential to keeping your brain healthy. Not only does sleep play a big role in flushing out the toxins that are linked to an increased risk of dementia, but sleep is also vital for maintaining your memory and problem-solving skills. We have plenty of useful tips for blokes who wish to improve their sleep quality.

Like your biceps, your brain requires regular workouts to remain healthy and strong. Learning new skills encourages the brain to adapt to new conditions and is a great way to stave off dementia, according to experts. Try playing sudoku or learn a new language. Ultimately, the ideal activity needs to provide some kind of challenge and learning opportunity. 

Keeping both your stress and your blood pressure down is essential for optimum cognitive activity. Stress can lead to high blood pressure, which in turn can damage your brain and heart health. High blood pressure can lead to memory loss and a decline in your planning and organisation skills, so it’s very important that you work on lowering your blood pressure.

Not only can the ol’ cancer sticks cause cancer but they can also lead to dementia by causing your brain to lose volume and prematurely age. Giving up smoking can be tough, but we have these great tips on how to quit without the dreaded gaining weight.

Alcohol can also cause both short and long-term neurological damage, so try not to hit the bottle too hard either.

We’ve touched on how combatting loneliness can save your life, but as it turns out, it can also save your brain. The human brain thrives on human interaction and when we don’t regularly interact with others, memory and cognition can decline, experts warn. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to spend all your time socialising, but rather aim to form meaningful friendships with loved ones and participate in group activities that give you fulfilment, such as social clubs, cultural activities, family dinners and volunteering. 

Bedtime isn’t the only time your brain needs to rest. You need to schedule some downtime for it, so you can relax and recharge. One of the best ways to give your mind a rest is to meditate for a short period. Apps like Calm and Headspace are great to get started.