When in your 30s, with your older years presumably light years away, it could seem crazy to think signs of dementia may show up in your younger years.
The way you live today, however, can directly impact the health of your brain decades ahead. Brain health and dementia are connected, and the more you take care of your brain today, the stronger your future health and longevity will be.
Here are three lifestyle changes you can make in your 30s, which may help to curb the onset of dementia in your older years.
Get exercise and lots of oxygen
The brain loves oxygen. The more it gets, the better it feels. Exercise fills your body with fresh blood and oxygen and sends it to the brain. According to Harvard Medical School, “Exercise changes the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills.” Exercise causes the brain to release chemicals that improve it by growing new blood vessels, improving the health of brain cells and growing new brain cells. Any exercise is great as long as you try to move at least 30 minutes each day. Walking, running, swimming and lifting weights are beneficial for your brain, as well as your heart.
Eat healthy and focus on brain food
Is it possible to eat for brain health? Yes, it is. There are significant benefits for your brain when you eat a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetable oils and fish. These foods help the cells in the brain to remain healthy. These foods are the mainstay of the Mediterranean diet, considered one of the best for brain and heart health. For those looking to learn more, we have published an easy brain health recipe for a dish from the Mediterranean diet.
An easy rule of thumb to remember is that foods healthy for your heart are healthy for your brain, too. Eating healthy foods keeps the blood healthy, and that means it can transport oxygen to the brain.
Get more sleep and meditate
Search for the word meditation, and you will find articles touting its benefits in publications, including The New York Times, Scientific American, Psychology Today and The Washington Post, to name a few. Meditation calms your brain, helps it to avoid being paralyzed by fear and preserves brain functions. A study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles found people who meditated for an average of 20 years had better, healthier brains than non-meditators as they aged. They lost less brain volume and improved all areas of their brains by training it through meditation.
Sleep also trains your brain and is essential to brain health. A study published in Science Daily shows that sleep shifts memory to more efficient storage lockers in the brain, making them last longer. According to researchers, the result is that when you awaken, “…memory tasks can be performed both more quickly and accurately, and with less stress and anxiety.”
Approximately 5.5 million Americans suffer from dementia, and that number is growing daily as the population ages. If you are in your 30s, you have 30 years before you are in your 60s. Dementia care planning is far, far away. However, now is the time to lay the groundwork for a strong, healthy brain, which will last long into your later years.
Call us if you need support caring for a loved one suffering from dementia or any other cognitive decline. Our trained caregivers can provide support to fit your schedule and provide you with peace of mind. We understand aging, and we can help your loved one age in a healthy manner.
Caregivers at Home Care Assistance are available for daily and hourly respite care for your loved one to help you protect your health and focus on yourself, too. Contact Amanda Butas, certified dementia practitioner, and your Mesa client care manager, at (480) 699-4899 to see how our caregivers can help your loved one thrive. You also can visit us at our new office next to Bed Bath and Beyond, located on Power and McKellips roads, at 2031 N. Power Road, Suite 103.