Living Well Getting old isn't for the faint of heart...
From near-constant aches and pains to losing some of our independence, there's a lot to worry about when it comes to aging.
One of the biggest fears we have about getting older is dementia.
We start forgetting the important details of our lives, like the place we got married... We get disoriented easily... "When did I get to the grocery store? What do I even need here?" And, at some point, we have difficulty communicating, like forgetting the words for common items. We may even have a tough time doing simple tasks like brushing our own teeth.
These are common symptoms of dementia. And unfortunately, for around 5.8 million Americans, 5.6 million of whom are aged 65 and older, dementia is a hard reality... Women are twice as likely to develop dementia than men, primarily due to the fact that they typically live longer.
And let's not forget to mention all the loved ones who are impacted by a dementia diagnosis as well. Taking care of your parents or spouse while they're dealing with dementia can become incredibly challenging.
These statistics are only getting worse. It's estimated that the number of folks with dementia is projected to grow to 14 million by the year 2060.
But a new study from a group of researchers in the Netherlands and United Kingdom sheds light on why some people get dementia.
The researchers examined records (in the UK Biobank) of more than 350,000 adults, aged 65 and younger, without a dementia diagnosis at the start of the study. They looked for 39 different attributes to test their correlation with a risk of early-onset dementia.
The team extrapolated a list of 15 risk factors that were positively associated:
- Living in social isolation
- Having a lower formal-education level
- Being of a lower socioeconomic status
- Having two copies of the apolipoprotein E4 gene, which influences a person's Alzheimer's disease risk
- Having a vitamin D deficiency
- Having a hearing impairment
- Overuse or abuse of alcohol
- Abstaining from alcohol
- Having depression
- High C-reactive protein levels, which indicate chronic inflammation
- Having a lower handgrip strength, which indicates physical frailty
- Having a form of low blood pressure called orthostatic hypotension
- History of having a stroke
- Having diabetes
- Having heart disease
Looking at this list, you'll notice that you can't control some of the risk factors. But there are things that you do have the power to influence.
So let's take a closer look at four things you can do to reduce your dementia risk...
1. Spend time with other people.
A 2023 study published in Nature Aging found that social participation in mid-to-late life decreases your risk of developing dementia by up to 50%. So if you live alone, make sure you're doing things that will put you in the company of others.
There are plenty of ways to do this, so it'll be easy to find one that fits your interests and abilities. Join a team, take a class, go on a preplanned trip, try speed dating just for fun, go to a concert or comedy show and talk to the people you happen to sit next to... Just get out there and be around people.
2. Keep learning new things.
It's never too late to learn something new. And according to a 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, learning later in life can decrease your risk of developing dementia by 9% to 11%. Think things like taking educational classes or learning how to play chess.
So look for new learning opportunities almost anywhere: online, at your local senior center, or library.
3. Spend lots of time in the sun.
A 2022 study published in BioMed Central Medicine found that spending time outdoors in the sun for 1.5 hours per day, on average (two hours in the summer and one hour in the winter), was associated with the lowest risk of dementia in a nine-year study of more than 360,000 people.
The best way for your body to synthesize vitamin D is from the sunlight, so get outside in the sunshine. Just make sure to protect your skin from sunburn.
4. Don't ignore health concerns.
No one likes going to the doctor. But regularly scheduled checkups can help you identify health issues before they become major problems.
Here's how getting common health concerns under control can reduce your dementia risk:
- Blood pressure – A four-year Chinese study, published in 2023, found that in folks with high blood pressure, reducing systolic blood pressure by 22 mmHg (which stands for "millimeters of mercury") effectively reduced the participants' risk of dementia by 15%.
- Blood sugar – A 2024 study from the Chinese University of Hong Kong found that folks who managed their diabetes with a specific "risk assessment and multidisciplinary diabetes-management program" experienced a 28% reduced risk of developing dementia compared with folks who underwent the standard diabetes treatment.
- Mental health – A 2022 study from the Lancet found that folks who improved their anxiety through psychological intervention experienced a 17% reduced risk in developing dementia.
Consult your doctor, make healthy lifestyle changes, and move your body every day. These good habits will not only benefit you now, but they may help you preserve your memory as well.
In the most recent issue of my Retirement Millionaire newsletter, I detailed another major risk factor of dementia and what you can start doing – tonight – to eliminate it. If you're not already a subscriber, click here to get access today.
What We're Reading...
- Something different: How do animals react to a total solar eclipse?
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
April 16, 2024