3 Ways to Reduce Your Risk For Cognitive Decline

3 Ways to Reduce Your Risk For Cognitive Decline

Do you ever worry about dementia or Alzheimer’s disease as you get older?

The onset of cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is one of the most common worries as a person gets older.

Although there are currently no cures on the market for either of these diseases, there are a number of ways to change your lifestyle to mitigate your risk factors for future cognitive decline.

1) Keep Your Mind Working

First and foremost, don’t just harbor the fear of cognitive disease and then spend your time sitting in front of your TV and watching the latest streaming shows!

Doctors at the National Institute of Ageing (NIA) recommend trying to pick up a new skill or even trying to improve one of the interests you already have in order to keep your mind fresh.

There are a number of classes you can consider, such as ballroom dancing, knitting, an art class, or even a cooking class.

You can also keep your mind working by downloading a few brain teaser apps to your phone or tablet and spending some time on them each day.

Studies have shown that engaging the mind in regular mind puzzles enables seniors to complete tasks on their own for a much longer period than those who don’t.

Get a puzzle book of crossword puzzles, word search, or maze for adults to actively engage your brain in something fun. Or try Sudoku of different levels of difficulty from easy to extreme.

Here’s a link to find some fun and challenging puzzle books, especially for adults. 

2) Take Care Of Your Body

This is a multifaceted step, as taking care of your body includes everything from diet, to sleep, to exercise. As far as exercise goes, numerous studies have shown that elevating your heart rate on a regular basis helps reduce your risk for cognitive decline.

So, it’s time to get up off the couch and take a walk around the block!

If that’s beyond your physical abilities, even completing some more strenuous household chores such as vacuuming or gardening can elevate the heart above its normal rate.

It’s also necessary to watch what you are putting into your body. This means everything; your diet, alcohol consumption, or smoking.

It’s time to quit smoking and stop drinking alcohol as these habits are directly correlated to an increased risk of cognitive decline.

For your diet, start watching conditions like high cholesterol and high blood pressure, as these are also correlated to the development of Alzheimer’s.

Fill your diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and start skipping out on fried foods. You’ll find you’ll feel better too.

If you aren’t getting more than eight hours of sleep a night, it’s time to start going to bed earlier.

If you suffer from difficulty sleeping at night or from something like insomnia, discuss your options with your doctor to start getting better sleep at night—as the amount of sleep you get each night is directly tied to memory function.

3) Pay Attention to Your Mental Health

Besides just taking the above steps, you may want to consider cluing your doctor into your concerns about your cognitive health, this way you will have someone to help guide you and alert you to changes you may not notice.

A doctor also may be able to suggest other ways to reduce your risk from cognitive decline than those mentioned here.

Another part of caring for mental health that people often overlook is the importance of having a support system. Along with your doctor, clue in a friend or two to your worries, chances are, they may be worried too.

If you don’t have a friend to lean on, join a local club, or look into an age-appropriate meetup in your neighborhood to find like-minded individuals.

Overall, reducing your risk for cognitive decline can be easy as long as you keep your mind busy, body healthy, and support your mental health.

Regardless of the steps you take to reduce your risk, it’s important to know that you aren’t alone in your worries and many other people are right there with you.

Like to find out more about living a full and joyful life in retirement?

You’re invited to join me for a no-obligation Retirement Wellness Discovery Call where together, we will:

• Explore your ultimate “Retirement Vision”
• Find out what your biggest fear is about what retirement will be
• Outline a specific plan for implementing those next steps
• Take your first step toward your “Retirement Vision”

Schedule your complimentary Retirement Wellness Discovery Call here:

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