According to research, the number of people suffering from one form of dementia or another could be significantly reduced if known risk factors were consistently combated from childhood onwards. Up to a third of all dementia cases worldwide could be prevented in this way!
1. get a good night's sleep
Certain proteins lead to Alzheimer's when they accumulate in large quantities in the brain. They are apparently broken down better if we get enough sleep. Anyone who has difficulty breathing at night (sleep apnoea) should have this treated - it promotes dementia.
2. challenge yourself!
Any kind of challenge activates your brain. Do a 1000-piece puzzle or solve complicated Sudoku puzzles. Even complicated knitting patterns require the brain to perform.
3. pay attention to your heart and blood pressure
High blood pressure or poorly controlled blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But the brain also suffers as a result, as several international studies have shown. Get high blood pressure treated!
4. eat as healthily as possible!
Lots of fruit and vegetables, lean dairy products, whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts, but little red meat, little sugar and sweets (including drinks), little saturated fat and little salt: this is what a balanced diet looks like, which is good for the body for a lifetime and can also keep the mind healthy.
5. meet up with family and friends!
Social contacts and activities - whether it's a game of cards or a sports group - keep the mind going. And this can prevent dementia. Anyone who becomes hard of hearing should therefore get a hearing aid in good time. Because when hearing becomes exhausting, social withdrawal is often the result - and this makes dementia more likely.
6. stop smoking!
Cigarette consumption at least increases the risk of the form of dementia caused by calcified blood vessels in the brain. This was the conclusion of a large study by Erasmus University in Rotterdam, in which 7000 people over the age of 55 were observed over a longer period of time.
7. protect your head well!
Every head injury increases your risk of dementia. You should therefore wear a helmet when cycling and always fasten your seatbelt in the car. Remove fall traps at home (e.g. loose cables)!
8. exercise your brain more often!
If you had a good education when you were young, you gave your brain a great start. But it's still good for your gray matter to learn new things throughout your life. For example, you could enrol on a VHS course or study something online that has always interested you...
9. keep moving!
Lack of exercise also damages the brain. Numerous studies show this: The risk of mental decline decreases with physical activity. This is because sport and light physical exercise increase the supply of blood and oxygen to the brain.
10. a healthy mind is important
Do you feel depressed or suffer from anxiety? Then don't be afraid to see a doctor and seek treatment. Studies show that mental health reduces the risk of dementia. Traumatic events, on the other hand, can increase it. Psychologists can help you deal with this.