Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common causes of dementia, slowly affecting memory and thinking skills. However, doctors now believe that some everyday lifestyle changes could reduce the risk. Staying active, eating right, and managing stress may just become your brain’s best defence against cognitive decline.
Alzheimer’s Disease is a progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory, thinking skills, and eventually, the ability to carry out simple tasks. “It’s the most common form of dementia, mostly affecting people aged 65 and older,” says Dr Vivek Kumar, Principal Director and Unit Head, Neurology, Max Hospital, Patparganj, New Delhi. "Alzheimer’s starts with mild memory loss and can progress to severe brain function impairment, affecting daily life and independence over time," he adds.
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) suggests that Alzheimer’s doesn’t have a single clear cause. It may result from a mix of age-related brain changes, genetics, environment, and lifestyle. “Factors such as inflammation, brain cell damage, and lifestyle habits can all interact differently from person to person. This is why experts stress the importance of healthy living for long-term brain protection,” says Dr Kumar.
The NIA says that while there’s no guaranteed way to prevent Alzheimer’s, small, positive lifestyle changes definitely help maintain brain health and may reduce your risk
The expert suggests the following simple lifestyle habits that could help protect your brain from Alzheimer’s:
- Move more with regular physical exercise: Aerobic exercises like walking, swimming, or cycling for at least 150 minutes a week are known to improve cognitive function and lower Alzheimer’s risk over time.
- Always eat a balanced, colourful diet: Choose plenty of fresh fruits, leafy greens, whole grains, and healthy fats while cutting down on processed foods and unhealthy saturated fats for better brain support.
- Keep your brain busy with mental stimulation: Engage in activities like reading, crossword puzzles, learning new languages, or picking up musical instruments to help maintain cognitive sharpness as you age.
- Stay socially connected with friends and family: Maintaining close friendships and participating in group activities like book clubs or volunteering can improve emotional well-being and support brain health.
- Learn to manage stress before it manages you: Chronic stress can harm the brain, so adopting mindfulness practices, meditation, yoga or deep breathing exercises may help lower risk.
- Prioritise getting quality sleep every night: Aiming for 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep is important because poor sleep has been linked to memory issues and cognitive decline in older adults.
- Maintain a healthy body weight over the years: Obesity is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, so regular exercise and mindful eating play a crucial role in keeping your weight in check.
- Take care of your heart health and control vascular risk factors: Managing conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol with regular check-ups and medications can protect both your heart and your brain.
- Look after your eyesight and hearing as you age: Address vision or hearing issues early with the help of doctors, as untreated sensory loss may speed up cognitive decline.
- Say no to smoking and limit alcohol intake: Both smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can damage brain cells over time, so quitting smoking and drinking in moderation are strong preventive steps.
- Always protect your head from injuries: Wear helmets while biking and seat belts while driving to avoid head injuries that could later increase Alzheimer’s risk.
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