New Research Identifies 2 Key Lifestyle Factors For Reducing Dementia Risk
Dementia is a growing concern for a number of aging adults, with diagnoses expected to rise in coming years. As such, understanding how to prevent it has never been more important.
Studying lifestyle factors and dementia risk
For this study, researchers analyzed existing data in order to identify whether certain lifestyle factors increase or reduce dementia risk. They looked at 69 different studies which included millions of adults ages 35 and up.
The lifestyle factors in question? Sleep duration, physical activity, and sedentary lifestyles. The studies looked at participants' lifestyles across a number of years, following up later on to see how many of those participants ended up developing dementia.
And based on the meta-analysis, it was found that both regular physical activity and adequate sleep (7-8 hours per night) was associated with a lower risk of dementia. Namely, regular physical activity was associated with a 25% lower risk of dementia on average.
Similarly, less sedentary time was also associated with a lower risk, while sitting for more than eight hours a day was associated with a 27% higher risk.
Sleeping too little—as well as too much—also increased dementia risk. Regularly sleeping less than seven hours a night increased risk by 18%, while regularly sleeping more than eight hours increased risk by 28%.
Get moving—and get snoozing
There's a whole lot of advice thrown out there in the wellness world, when so often, going back to basics is one of the best places you can start. Whether you want to reduce your risk of dementia or simply take steps to be more healthy in general, sleep and physical activity are two fundamentals you don't want to miss.
Getting adequate sleep is a whole lot easier when you go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, for instance, as well as when you keep your bedroom cool and dark, limit big meals and stressful content before bed, and so on. Here's our full guide to getting quality sleep for more tips.
And as far as physical activity goes, exercising doesn't have to be lifting weights at the gym or training for a marathon. There are a number of movement-based activities that can be fun, engaging, and don't necessarily feel like a "workout." Think going for a walk or hike, gardening, taking a bike ride, or swimming laps in the pool.
Sticking with a fitness routine isn't going to work if you don't get any enjoyment out of it, so lean into activities that get you moving without feeling like a chore. Virtually anything is better than being sedentary, and research backs this up.
The takeaway
With dementia as a growing concern for people all around the globe, managing risk through lifestyle is something we can all do to get ahead of it. Getting the right amount of sleep and staying active are two pillars of a healthy lifestyle in general, and according to this research, they can help reduce your risk of dementia, too.
