4 Lifestyle Habits to Lower Your Dementia Risk

Dementia is an umbrella term for brain disorders that interfere with reasoning, thinking, and memory. Over time, it can also affect language skills, emotional well-being, and visual perception.

Over 55 million people around the world have a form of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. While there’s no proven way to prevent dementia, lifestyle changes can help address your risk factors.

At his New Rochelle, New York offices, board-certified neurologist Dr. Farhad Elyaderani and his team help people lead better lives while managing dementia.

If you’re concerned about developing dementia, consider cultivating the following brain-healthy habits.

1. Engage in music and dancing

Dr. Elyaderani is a big fan of using dance and music to enhance cognitive function. While exercise is generally good for the brain, dancing to music often involves social interaction and effort that may help lower one's odds of dementia. 

A study showed that dancing may help alleviate related depression if dementia sets in. Dancing to upbeat music, in particular, may benefit brain health and mood.

2. Eat a Mediterranean-style diet

Numerous studies have linked a Mediterranean-style diet with a lower likelihood of dementia. Such diets, which provide plentiful nutrients like antioxidants and vitamin E, may also slow down cognitive decline as you age.

To make your daily diet more Mediterranean, focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fat sources like salmon, nuts, and seeds. Aim for at least two servings of fruit and four servings of vegetables per day.

3. Improve your sleep habits

A study involving over 520 adults ages 50-69 linked getting six or fewer hours of sleep per night with a heightened risk of dementia. People who lacked nightly zees were 30% more likely than healthier sleepers to receive a dementia diagnosis later.

Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night for better brain health. Habits that promote restful sleep include keeping fairly consistent sleeping and waking times, sleeping in a dark, comfortable room, and avoiding digital screens near bedtime. Avoiding caffeine for at least six hours before bed can also help.

4. Quit (or don’t start) smoking

Smoking harms the brain and raises your risk for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, by 30-40%. Quitting the habit can lower those odds back to a non-smoker level within nine years.

If you’ve struggled to quit smoking, seek professional support. A range of options are more effective than “cold turkey” quitting. And there’s no need to go it alone.

The same goes for improving your brain health. Call Dr. Farhad Elyaderani or request an appointment online today to learn more about dementia prevention or get started with personalized care, we also have offices at Yonkers and Bronx, New York, we will be waiting for your visit.