5 tips from a neuroscientist who can prevent dementia

Dementia has become one of the health threats to the world's population in recent decades, and in the not too distant future, it is estimated to hit tens of millions worldwide. So can anything be done to prevent it?

5 tips from a neuroscientist who can prevent dementia

The brain is one of the most important organs in the body, if not the most important one, but unlike other organs, we do not care about it - which can lead to life-threatening degenerative diseases. One is the dementia that is now considered a leading cause of death in the modern world.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 36 million people worldwide have dementia, most of whom are Alzheimer's. The figure is expected to double by 2030, if no effective treatment is found. In Israel, there are estimated to be around 130,000 Alzheimer's patients. Like other diseases, Alzheimer's begins years and even decades before the symptoms of the disease appear. Therefore, understanding the factors to be wary of and the actions we can take to reduce the risk of getting sick is of crucial importance.

Genetics probably plays an important role in the causes of the disease, but making lifestyle changes is also crucial. According to Dr. Sabina Brennan, who wrote the book Days to a Younger Brain 100, there are several things you can do to prevent or delay Alzheimer's.

Not just genetics. Brain (Photo: Giphy)

Brain (Photo: Giphy)

Regular sleep schedule

Sleep is an important factor in brain health, a simple fact that is overlooked in today's busy world as we fail to get the recommended sleep hours, which are 7 to 8 hours at most for adults. In fact, only one in three people sleep well enough at night, causing the World Health Organization to consider losing sleep as a formal epidemic.

Sleep rejuvenates the brain as well as the body, clearing nerve waste products that accumulate daily in the central nervous system. Without it, the brain does not have enough time to wash them. One example of accumulation in the brain is beta-amyloid, the protein that is thought to be the major cause of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

To help prevent dementia, Brennan said it's important to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. This is because research has shown that regular sleep timing results in rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep.

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Get excited every day

Brennan argues that daily stress can increase the risk of dementia. While stress does have some positive effects on your life, too much stress can cause your brain some kind of trauma and real damage. According to her, one way to deal with this is to get especially excited every day about the little joys of life, some of which can be stressful but challenging.

Researchers believe stress conditions cause inflammation in the brain - making it more vulnerable over time to problems like dementia. Stress can also lead to depression, which can increase your risk of Alzheimer's.

Don't Stay Alone (Screenshot from a Wedding at First Sight, Rainbow)

From the program "First Wedding, Rainbow" (Photo: First Wedding, Rainbow, Screenshot)

Communicate with people

Loneliness kills. More specifically, loneliness can cause dementia and other brain diseases through abnormal sleep patterns, excessive stress reactions, unhealthy blood pressure levels, and greater cognitive decline.

Researchers say the human brain should contain and recognize 150 people, so constant, regular interaction with just one or two people can increase stress. This is perhaps why loneliness is one of the factors that can hasten the onset of illness at later ages.

Drink to a degree

And no, we don't mean water. Alcohol like red wine may be healthy at low doses, but when you start consuming it daily it can cause blood flow damage to the heart, and indirectly resulting in brain damage.

Findings from a recent study found, for example, that people who drank alcohol most days had a relatively higher brain age than those who drank less frequently or did not drink at all. People who reported drinking every day had brains that were an average of 0.4 years older than people who did not drink daily.

This habit can cause your brain to age faster

Do some exercise

Exercise benefits you physically, and it also helps the brain. Brennan claims that to maintain brain health, exercise is a must, not least. And there is no escape from exercising several times a week even at an older age.

In 2014 studies at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona presented at the International Alzheimer's Research Conference - researchers have come to two interesting conclusions. The first is that exercise at any level (mild, moderate or vigorous) in mid-life protects the brain from a slight cognitive decline in old age. The other interesting finding is that exercise prevents the deterioration of mild cognitive decline to dementia.

Smile

Yes, yes, that may sound strange to you, but science has proven over and over again how powerful this little thing is. Smile releases chemicals that cause happiness. These chemicals are serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, all of which activate your brain's reward circuits, and in turn, increase your sense of happiness, and give your overall brain health a positive boost.

Brennan added that the serotonin released by the smile is used as a natural antidepressant, while endorphins naturally act against pain.