Healthy Life Overview

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  Hearing loss

  Intriguingly, how well we hear may be important, with studies increasingly linking hearing loss with higher risk of dementia. In fact, according to the Lancet Commission, hearing loss could be behind 8% of all cases of dementia.

  It’s possible that the social isolation that can accompany hearing loss helps fuel dementia. You can learn more about the importance of social activity in the Active Mind pillar.

  Studies show that a person’s risk of dementia rises as their hearing worsens. But, importantly, hearing aids seem to protect against memory loss. With this in mind, the Lancet Commission recommends we protect our ears from excessive noise and wear a hearing aid when necessary.

  Additionally, hearing aids are improving. Many people find the newest hearing aids with Bluetooth enhance their life, meaning they can listen to music, podcasts, radio or books as they clean – or walk (an added bonus).

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  Obesity

  Excess weight is linked to dementia, but the reverse is also true, with studies showing that weight loss brings with it gains in memory, at least in the short term.

  Even a couple of kilos can make a difference. A study found that memory and attention improved when overweight men and women lost 2kg or more

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  High blood pressure

  Keeping a lid on your blood pressure could help keep your brain healthy. One key study illustrated the value of lowering systolic blood pressure (the top number) to 120 mmHg – lower than usually recommended.

  Over-50s who got their blood pressure down were 20% less likely to develop dementia and mild cognitive impairment (the slight memory lapses that can be a precursor of dementia) five years later than those whose readings remained higher.

  Taking into account all the research, the Lancet Commission recommends that, from around the age of 40, we try to keep our systolic blood pressure at 130 mmHg or below.

  Encouragingly, it adds that blood pressure tablets are the ‘only known effective preventive medication for dementia’.

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  Diabetes

  Type 2 diabetes – the form that normally occurs in middle-age and is associated with obesity – is a ‘clear risk factor for the development of future dementia’, the Lancet Commission concluded.

  Research links type 2 diabetes with a 60% higher chance of dementia. Often if you take exercise and keep your weight in reasonable limits then this may ward off diabetes - a risk that increases the longer and more severe the diabetes.

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  Education

  Those with less than eight years of education are more than twice as likely to develop dementia as those with more education.

  And those who have been to college or university with education up until the age of 20 or beyond have even more protection against dementia.

  This is thought to be due to something called cognitive reserve. This is the idea that the things we experience throughout our lives, including our education, jobs and hobbies, rewire and reshape the brain.

  These constant changes to the brain are believed to make it more resilient to decline and disease. You can learn more about cognitive reserve, and how to stay mentally active, in the ‘Active Mind’ pillar.

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  Smoking

  Smokers are at higher risk of dementia than non-smokers – but quitting the habit is good for your brain, no matter what age you are.

  For example, a study of 50,000 men aged 60-plus found that those who gave up smoking for at least four years were 10% less likely to develop dementia in the next eight years than those who didn’t stop.

  And don’t forget other people’s smoke. Studies have linked passive smoking – the breathing in of second-hand smoke – with memory loss.

  In recent years, patches and other ways to stop smoking have made this easier.

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  Physical inactivity

  Those with less than eight years of education are more than twice as likely to develop dementia as those with more education.

  And those who have been to college or university with education up until the age of 20 or beyond have even more protection against dementia.

  This is thought to be due to something called cognitive reserve. This is the idea that the things we experience throughout our lives, including our education, jobs and hobbies, rewire and reshape the brain.

  These constant changes to the brain are believed to make it more resilient to decline and disease. You can learn more about cognitive reserve, and how to stay mentally active, in the ‘Active Mind’ pillar.

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  Lack of social contact

  Social isolation is thought to be responsible for 4% of all cases of dementia.

  If you find meeting people daunting, the GCBH advises starting small. Its tips include sharing a smile a day with someone or showing an interest in someone by asking how they are. Another good tip is to make a point of seeing your family and friends.

  For lots of information on the brain benefits of socialising, see our Active Mind pillar.

   

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  Depression

  One in 25 cases of dementia may be linked to depression. It’s possible that depression in some way damages the brain, making it more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. It may also be that those who are depressed miss out on vital social contact.

  Researchers also think that, in some people, depression is one of the very earliest signs of dementia.

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  Air Pollution

  Traffic fumes, wood smoke and other types of air pollution may be responsible for 2% of cases of dementia. Animal studies suggest the pollutants speed up the degeneration of the brain and the accumulation of beta-amyloid, the sticky brain protein that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

  While you can’t choose whether where you live is polluted, you can try not to add to pollution levels (eg driving petrol cars, using wood burning stoves). Even walking down streets that are back from a main road can reduce the level of pollutants enormously, so think about the routes you take.

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  Excess alcohol

  While small amounts of alcohol might be beneficial, drinking heavily has long been linked to cognitive impairment and dementia. Now we know that even more moderate drinking can cause harm. The Lancet Commission recommends we don’t have more than 21 units of alcohol a week. If you have two relatively small glasses of wine a day, this is more than this recommendation. Try to have some alcohol-free days every week.

  A unit contains 8g of pure alcohol – the amount found in a single measure of spirits. A standard (175ml) glass of wine contains 2.1 units, and a pint of beer has 2.3 units.

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  Traumatic Head Injuries

  People with traumatic head injuries, such as brain damage caused by sports, falls and road traffic accidents, are at higher risk of dementia, numerous studies have shown.

  There is also concern that regular heading of a football can cause dementia, with a 2019 study of former Scottish professional players concluding they were three and a half times more likely to die from Alzheimer’s disease than other men of a similar age and social status.

What was their secret?

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  Exercised regularly. For example, two and a half hours of brisk walking or an hour and a quarter of singles tennis a week (you can read more about exercise in our Exercise pillar)

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  Didn’t smoke

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  Drank alcohol in moderation (no more than one drink a day for women and two for men)

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  Ate at least four out of seven types of food linked to a healthier brain (you can find out about how to eat your way to a healthier brain in the Nutrition pillar)