While there is no known cause behind what causes Alzheimer’s, a lot can be deduced by the kind of lifestyle a person leads. Your lifestyle has a huge impact on your health, both physically and mentally, and improving your lifestyle cannot only help to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, it can also remove any chances of developing other illnesses and afflictions as well.
It is hard to change your lifestyle but the first thing to focus on is your motivation. Do you want to change? Do you want to improve your life? Do you want to live a healthy and happier life? If you answered ‘yes’ to all, all you have to do is to focus on how to bring about that change. The following are 6 ways you can improve different areas of your life and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Even in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, the following steps can improve your quality of life amazingly:
1. Physical Exercise
Physical exercise has proven to show plenty of benefits but it also helps to stimulate your brain. Producing endorphins also has a good effect on your brain and even spending 30 minutes or so every day on physical exercises can have a positive effect on you. Start out small and then work your way up to something more challenging and strenuous. Take baby steps and you will definitely see the benefits of your daily workouts.
2. Mental Exercise
Mental stimulation is one of the best ways to stave off the affects of Alzheimer’s and keep your brain cells active. Cognition-boosting games, like chess, word puzzles, Sudoku and checkers, can keep your muscles happy. Even reading a book is enough to give your brain some exercise. A good thing to incorporate would be memory games which test your memory. For people with Alzheimer’s, this improves their cognitive capacity and does slow down the degeneration process of their brain.
3. Eat Right
The right diet can make a huge difference to your health. Incorporate foods that are rich in Omega 3, healthy fatty acids and good carbs. Food items which are rich in iron, zinc, potassium and other vitamins should also be added to your diet since they are basically food for your brain. Moreover, these food items are good for the rest of your body too. They can help keep your metabolism healthy and make your brain cells more resistant to degeneration which is caused by Alzheimer’s.
4. Sleep Right
Proper sleep is one of the most important things a person needs, particularly your brain. The human brain needs proper sleep in order to function properly. Sleep deprivation not only makes you feel tired and cranky, it also puts the brain into overdrive, putting undue stress on it. Sleep deprivation on a long-term basis can actually reduce memory retention and formation and put you at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Even if you have to get up early in the morning, make sure you get at least eight hours of undisturbed sleep to keep your brain fresh, happy and ready to perform.
5. Manage Stress
Stress can be harmful for your brain and actually shrink a key area of your brain which is responsible for memory retention and development. Stress also hampers the growth process in cells and actually stunts the growth of nerve cells. The best option for you is to try yoga and indulge in activities which help you unwind and relax after a stressful day. Whether it is gardening, playing with your dog or taking a warm bath, do your best to reduce your level of stress each day.
6. Have a Social Life
Social interaction actually stimulates the brain. The more you gossip, the more your brain stays happy. Human beings are social creatures as well and having a social life keeps the brain stimulated, alert and happy. Staying active socially actually helps prevent Alzheimer’s since the brain is focused on recognizing, creating and storing moments to make memories. Even if you do not have friends around you, volunteering, joining a group or a club or even taking a class can keep your brain fueled and active.
So, follow these 6 ways to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and you can stave off the disease.
