According to the Alzheimer’s Society, 225,000 people in the UK will develop dementia this year, equating to one person every three minutes. One in six people over 80 have dementia, while over 40,000 people under the age of 65 have it. “Despite tens of billions of pounds of funding and more than 200 clinical studies looking for a ‘wonder drug’, we are still at least a decade away from having more pharmaceutical weapons in our armoury,” said Dr Jamie Wilson, dementia specialist and founder of live-in care platform hometouch. “However, there are some simple lifestyle interventions that can can actually improve our brain health over time – boosting our cognitive ability and strengthening our minds.”
Dr Wilson provides his five top lifestyle tips to help prevent the onset of dementia.
Improve your diet
Sugar and saturated fat are “bad news” for brain health, so cut back on biscuits and refined carbohydrates. Instead, try to up your consumption of healthy fats.
“Sixty per cent of the brain is composed of fat and should be made from essential fatty acids including omega 3 and omega 6,” said Dr Wilson.
Good foods for brain health can be found in the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruit, vegetables and fish. Try cutting down on meat and eat more plant-based meals.
Look after your body
“Exercise is as good for the brain as it is for the body,” according to Dr Wilson, as it boosts blood flow to the brain, delivering vital oxygen and growth hormone stimulation, which helps to create a positive environment for the growth of brain cells.
Other research has also shown exercise increases growth factors in the brain, making it easier for the brain to grow new neuronal connections.
Exercise your mind
Research has shown exposing the brain to new activities can delay the onset of cognitive decline, while keeping your mind active can help reduce your risk of dementia.
“This can be as simple as having an in-depth conversation, reading a book, or doing a crossword, but it could also take the form of learning a language or playing an instrument or other hobby.”
Limit social media
“Overuse of social media can result in a lack of human connection, poor sleep, poor memory use and shortened attention span – all factors that put us at risk of poor brain health and in the long term, dementia.”
Try to spend some time just focusing on one specific task rather than constantly switching between electronic devices, which will test the brain in a new way.
Get the right kind of sleep
Getting eight hours of sleep a night is a “vitally” important part of keeping the brain active and healthy.
Not only will a poor sleep pattern impact your cognitive ability in the short term, there is also evidence a reduced amount of sleep can impact your brain health over time.
The quality and pattern of sleep is just as important as the length of time you’re asleep, so set a regular routine.
“Get to bed an hour earlier, turn off blue-light screens and try to avoid drinking caffeine after midday. Make sure you get up and out in the daylight as early as possible, as this is really important in keeping your body’s circadian rhythm in check.”