Growing old can be a daunting reality for many of us, especially after we get to hear about all those people who developed medical conditions which impacted their mental health as they aged. One such condition is dementia, and a lot of research has already been conducted to find a cure for it and also to manage it as best as we can.

Thanks to such research, we now have a number of simple habits which we can adapt to lessen our risk of having to deal with dementia when we grow old. Of course, if you are in your 20s or 30s, then dementia must be the last of your worries at this point.

But we must think in the long term when it comes to our health because no matter how much money you have in your golden years if you don’t have your health, you won’t be able to enjoy it as much.

Related image — Thanks to such research, we now have a number of simple habits which we can adapt to lessen our risk of having to deal with dementia when we grow old.

What is Dementia?

The problem with dementia is that it is not like other physical diseases which at least allow a person to live a normal life with a few complicated moments in between. Dementia takes over the mind and disallows a person to live a normal life.

Complications which arise out of dementia include difficulty in remembering the names of even your most loved ones and your most visited places, confusion while performing daily tasks, and also difficulty in recognizing the faces of friends and family members.

To date, medical science has not been able to identify the exact cause of dementia. The disease usually impacts people in their old age, and the best that patients can do is manage it.

Preventing The Onset Of Dementia

While the impact dementia can have on your life is severe, the ways you can try to prevent its onset are surprisingly simple. For example, studies have shown that the people who suffer from the herpes virus tend to be more susceptible to contracting dementia in their old age.

This means that you need to avoid indulging in habits that increase your chances of getting the herpes virus, and that includes avoiding sharing your drinks with others, especially people you don’t know very well.

Another way that would sound amazingly simple to you is to cut down on your late-night snacking rituals. Basically, what happens when you allow yourself a snack before hitting the bed is that your body burns carbohydrates instead of ketones to fuel your brain.

Research has shown that ketones are much better fuel for the brain than carbohydrates, and the brain enters recovery mode when you fall asleep. Hence, providing it with the most optimal fuel is essential to ensure a healthy recovery.

Studies also recommend that you need to laugh as much as you can, as laughter promotes healthier brain functionality. Not only that but laughing casually has also been linked to lower anxiety and stress levels in the brain, which are beneficial for both your physical and mental health.

Some Other Ways

Apart from the ways described above, there are many other habits you can adopt to cut down on your risk of contracting dementia such as sleeping for 7 to 9 hours on a daily basis, nurturing a healthy social life (as loneliness is a big factor that contributes to the onset of dementia), cutting down on your fast food intake including foods that have a high level of sodium in them, including a 15 miles run into your weekly exercise routine (as this can reduce your dementia risk by up to 40% according to studies), and playing puzzle games as much as possible.

Image result for laughing — Studies also recommend that you need to laugh as much as you can, as laughter promotes healthier brain functionality.

There are some more factors that you can focus on, although those are difficult to control. For example, studies have found that people who live in cities have a 40% greater chance of developing dementia symptoms as they grow older compared to people who live in villages, due to noise as well as air pollution.