Doctor reveals 4 simple ways to reduce dementia risk

All of our brains inevitably shrink as we age—a change that is accelerated and most profound in the nearly 7 million Americans currently living with dementia. While there is no way to reverse this loss in brain volume, we can slow it down by prioritizing our mental and physical health.

Dr. Arjun Masurkar, a cognitive neurologist and dementia specialist at NYU Langone Health, shared with us four key ways to maintain a healthy mind as we age.

Be physically active

Following a sedentary lifestyle – and the physical, social and intellectual inactivity associated with it – is one of the worst things we can do for our brains.

When we perform aerobic exercise, our heart pumps more blood to our brain, carrying oxygen and vital nutrients to keep our brain healthy.

Regular aerobic exercise has also been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and sleep apnea – conditions that can affect the brain. Some good brain exercises include:

• Walking
• Running
• BIKING
• swimming

Eat a heart-healthy diet

The Mediterranean diet contains lean sources of protein and healthy fats, as well as antioxidants that can keep our brains healthy and fight diseases like dementia. Some examples of foods that have brain health benefits include:

• Fatty fish, such as salmon
• berries
• Leafy greens
• Legumes, such as beans and lentils
• nuts

But drinking alcohol can have many negative effects on the brain, especially in people over 65. Therefore, I recommend to my patients to consume a maximum of one alcoholic drink per day, preferably none.

Socialize with others

An active social life is another way to keep our brains healthy as we age. When we interact with other people, it keeps our minds engaged and on a schedule – even the act of socializing can release very important and healthy chemicals in our brains like serotonin and dopamine.

In terms of brain health, social interactions that are in person may be more effective than those that are only online.

Also important is care for sensory problems. By correcting our vision and hearing, we can improve our interactions with others and potentially protect ourselves from dementia in the future.

Stimulate the mind

And fourth, we can stimulate our minds with activities such as doing a crossword puzzle, learning a dance, or engaging in an intellectual hobby.

Brain-stimulating pastimes that are also social, such as card games, can be even more beneficial.

But don’t stay up all night! Good sleep helps us store our memories from the previous day in our long-term memory and also makes our brain active and efficient the next day.

In the long term, a good night’s sleep can help clear the toxic proteins and inflammation that are at the heart of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

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Dr. Arjun Masurkar is an assistant professor at Department of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He is a cognitive neurologist and dementia specialist.