What healthy habits reduce the risk of dementia

Dementia is a persistent disorder of higher nervous activity, accompanied by the loss of acquired knowledge and skills, and a reduced ability to learn. Russian and foreign scientists in the course of research have come to the conclusion that the number of dementia sufferers has more than doubled over the past 25 years.

In order to maintain clarity of thought and a sound mind in old age, you need to “keep” the brain in tone from a young age. Together with experts, we find out how to do it properly and what habits help to reduce the risk of dementia.

founder of the Advance Center for Educational Technologies

Memory and attention are interrelated basic mental processes. Training them will not only prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, but will also help develop intellectual stamina.

Зміст

Перемикач

Lead an active lifestyle

First of all, regular sufficient physical activity is necessary. Neurologist Elena Gaivoronskaya notes that it is recommended to devote 2.5-5 hours a week to moderate aerobic physical activity:

• brisk walking;
• slow bicycling;
• ballroom dancing;
• aqua aerobics.

Or 1 to 2.5 hours of vigorous aerobic physical activity:

• running;
• bicycling more than 15 kilometers per hour or riding uphill;
• swimming in lanes.

neurologist

Even a little physical activity is better than no physical activity.

Do yoga and meditation

When practicing yoga, thoughts become calmer and clearer, it helps to get rid of stress. In addition, serotonin and dopamine are released, which has a positive effect on mood and minimizes the risk of depression, which can trigger dementia.

It doesn’t matter what style of yoga is practiced. The main thing is that the practice should be done regularly and above all carefully. This way you can relax both mentally and physically during the practice.

Do “exercise” for the mind

On the work of the brain positively affect:

• learning foreign languages;
• learning musical instruments;
• reading books;
• games where you have to memorize objects or actions.

You can also perform special exercises.

“Ambidexter.” With the non-working hand, write a few words or draw a simple picture. Such unusual activity, coupled with the use of fine motor skills makes both hemispheres of our brain work. This has a favorable effect on memory.

“A keen eye.” Consider your room or office for a minute. Then close your eyes and list everything you’ve memorized, from the largest details to the smallest.

“First-timer.” Try taking a different route to work, home, or the supermarket. Look around: memorize street names, establishments, stores, or other features. Before going to bed, try to reconstruct the path you traveled with accuracy.

Nikolay Yagodkin

founder of the Advance educational technology center

Do such training regularly so that your brain gets used to accurately memorizing all important details.

Periodically look for new hobbies

Learning any skill allows you to stimulate the emergence and retention of new neural connections.

Nikolay Yagodkin

founder of the Advance Center for Educational Technologies

The main thing when you start a new activity is to try to raise your skill level so that new neutron connections have time to get stronger. If you change hobbies every day, you won’t get the desired effect.

Remember digital “hygiene”

Try to minimize the time spent with a gadget in your hands or at the computer. Evgeny Sumanov, doctor of ultrasound diagnostics, notes that excessive “digital consumption” leads even young people to the formation of “digital dementia”.

candidate of medical sciences, chief physician and ultrasound doctor of the Neuroscience and Psychology Center “Neurodynamics”

This is a condition in which the brain loses the ability to synthesize information, getting used to only consume it and not subject it to critical thinking.

Be optimistic

A positive attitude towards life helps to avoid developing depression. Depressed people are more susceptible to dementia than their optimistic peers.

It is impossible to be completely “immune” to dementia. As there are factors that we cannot influence. But some healthy habits can reduce the risk of this disease.