As you age, you may worry about developing dementia and wonder if there are steps you can take to reduce your risk or prevent it all together. While there are currently no treatments that have been proven to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, the good news is that there are many lifestyle choices you can take to help reduce your risk.
Keep reading for five simple tips to incorporate into your lifestyle that may reduce your risk of dementia, along with first signs of dementia in women and men.
Follow a Heart-Healthy Diet
It’s good wisdom to keep in mind that if it’s good for your heart, it’s also good for your brain. A healthy, balanced diet that’s lower in fat and higher in vegetables and fruit can help maintain optimal brain health.
Eating a nutritious diet full of fruits, vegetables and healthy fats, like the Mediterranean diet, can help you maintain a healthy weight and mitigate the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which can contribute to developing dementia later in life.
Stay Active With Regular Exercise
Regular cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes a day, five days a week can raise your heart rate and increase blood flow to the brain and body. Several studies have shown a link between physical activity and a lower risk of cognitive decline.
Simple aerobic exercises, like a brisk walk, at least three times a week are not only good for your body — they help your brain function better, too.
Stay Mentally Engaged
Keeping your brain cognitively engaged helps maintain your brain health. Examples of staying cognitively engaged are taking a class at a local college or online, playing or learning a new instrument and challenging your mind with puzzles, games or a new hobby. Socializing with others also engages your brain, so stay in touch with family and friends as much as possible.
Limit Alcohol Use
It has long been proven that alcohol misuse is associated with damage to the brain and an increased risk of dementia. Limiting alcohol consumption to one drink per day, or ideally less, appears to decrease your risk of cognitive impairment.
Avoid Smoking
Among all the other health issues it’s known to cause, smoking tobacco also increases your risk of developing dementia. Not smoking or stopping smoking, even later in life, can help reduce your risk of cognitive decline.
Signs of Dementia in Women and Men
Now that you’re equipped with methods on how to shrink your dementia risk, what are the first signs of dementia to look for? Symptoms can present differently in women and men.
Dementia in Women
Early signs of dementia in women may include the following:
- Confusion about time, place, or people
- Difficulty with problem-solving, planning and organizing
- Memory loss, especially for recent events or familiar information
- Mood swings, such as irritability, anxiety or depression
- Trouble with language, such as finding words or understanding conversations
- Withdrawal from social activities
It’s also important to note that hormonal changes after menopause may contribute to cognitive decline, and women may experience more subtle symptoms than men, making early detection of dementia more challenging.
Dementia in Men
Signs of dementia in men overlap with those of women, but they may present and progress differently, including:
- Confusion about time, place or people
- Difficulty finding words or using them correctly
- Difficulty with balance and coordination
- Irritability, mood swings or depression
- Loss of interest in hobbies or previously enjoyed pursuits
- Memory loss, especially for recent events
- Neglecting personal hygiene or self-care
- Problems with planning, organizing and decision-making
- Reduced attention and concentration
- Withdrawal from social activities
You’re Still the Same You
If you or a family member does develop dementia, we understand that it touches your whole life, which is why we take a whole-person approach to caring for you or your loved one. Your care plan may include medications that slow down memory loss and ease sleeplessness, counselors to help with mood or personality changes and therapists to stimulate your brain with energizing exercises. If you need help at home, our social workers and home-care helpers can guide you, working to make each day as smooth as possible. We'll also help you to find a support group so that you can reap the healing benefits of community.
Our goal is a world without dementia. Our dedicated researchers are constantly working to uncover new medications and therapies for dementia. Some of this groundbreaking research has occurred at our own Neuroscience Institute in Florida, where we treat more neurological patients than any other hospital in the United States.
No matter what, you’re still you and whole just as you are. We'll always be here to support you in body, mind and spirit.
Learn more about our neurology and neurosurgery care.
