Susan always knew that after she retired she would be living an active lifestyle. She travels a lot and at 68 she’s been to over a dozen countries and is planning many more trips. On any given day, you may find her out on the lake, exploring a new hiking trail with the grandkids, or volunteering at the local children’s hospital.
Susan always has something new to see or do. But sometimes, Susan can’t help but worry about how dementia or cognitive decline could completely change her life.
Her mother showed first signs of dementia when she was around Susan’s age. Susan watched her mother, who she had always loved and respected, struggle more and more with day-to-day tasks over a 15 year period. She started to become forgetful. Eventually, she could only recognize Susan on a good day.
Susan has tried to eat a balanced diet and exercise so she could hopefully steer clear of what her mother experienced. But she’s not certain that will be enough. Are there proven ways to slow dementia or cognitive decline?
Fortunately, it is possible to prevent cognitive decline by doing a few things. Three of them are listed here.
1. Get Exercise
This one was already part of Susan’s everyday life. She does try to get the recommended amount of exercise every day.
Individuals who do moderate exercise every day have a decreased risk of cognitive decline according to many studies. This same research shows that individuals who are already coping with some form of mental decline also have a positive effect from regular exercise.
Scientists think that exercise might ward off cognitive decline for a number of really important reasons.
- As a person ages, the nervous system deteriorates and regular exercise can slow this. The brain needs these nerves to communicate with the body, process memories, and consider how to do things. Scientists think that because exercise slows this breakdown, it also slows mental decline.
- Exercise could increase the production of neuroprotection factors. There are mechanisms in your body that safeguard some cells from damage. These protectors may be created at a higher rate in people who get an abundance of exercise.
- Exercise lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to cells in the brain. Cells will die when cardiovascular disease stops this blood flow. Exercise may be able to slow down dementia by keeping these vessels healthy.
2. Have Vision Concerns Treated
The rate of mental decline was cut nearly in half in individuals who had their cataracts removed according to an 18-year study conducted on 2000 subjects.
While this study focused on one prevalent cause for eyesight loss, this study backs the fact that maintaining eyesight as you age is important for your mental health.
Eyesight loss at an older age can cause a person to withdraw from their circle of friends and quit doing things they enjoy. The connection between cognitive decline and social isolation is the subject of other studies.
If you have cataracts, don’t just ignore them. You’ll be safeguarding yourself against the advancement of dementia if you do what’s necessary to preserve healthy vision.
3. Get Hearing Aids
If you have neglected hearing loss, you could be on your way into mental decline. A hearing aid was given to 2000 people by the same researchers that conducted the cataract study. They used the same methods to test for the progression of mental decline.
The results were even more remarkable. The people who received the hearing aids saw their dementia progression rates decline by 75%. So the dementia symptoms they were already experiencing simply stopped.
This has some likely reasons.
The social component is the first thing. People who are dealing with untreated hearing loss tend to socially seclude themselves because they have a hard time interacting with their friends at social clubs and events.
Second, when somebody gradually starts to lose their hearing, the brain forgets how to hear. If the person waits years to get a hearing aid, this degeneration advances into other parts of the brain.
As a matter of fact, researchers have actually compared the brains of people with untreated hearing loss to people who use hearing aids using an MRI. The brain actually shrinks in individuals with neglected hearing loss.
Clearly, your mental ability and memory are going to begin to falter under these conditions.
If you have hearing aids, wear them to ward off dementia. If you have hearing loss and are hesitant to get hearing aids, it’s time to make an appointment with us. Find out about today’s technologically advanced designs that help you hear better.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3258000/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/10/11/hearing-aids-slow-dementia-75-new-study-finds/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6581941/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5764000/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy_aging/healthy_body/the-hidden-risks-of-hearing-loss
https://www.helpingmehear.com/hearing-aids-facts/
