Easy Ways to Help Maintain Brain Health
Many seniors may be overwhelmed with all the recent information on how to protect ourselves from cognitive decline. However, some experts suggest it may be simpler than we think and doesn’t require a huge amount of time or energy from us.
One such tip comes from AARP, which reviewed several studies that found a 5-minute walk after a meal can improve brain health. The studies report that a light-intensity stroll after eating made a positive impact on reducing blood sugar spikes and insulin levels. As diabetes is connected to our brain health, prevention is important.
Harvard-trained neurologist Andrew E. Budson, MD, Professor of Neurology, Boston University and co-author of Seven Steps to Managing Your Aging Memory, mentions two supplements that seniors are often found to be deficient in – vitamin B and vitamin D. He says Vitamin B helps to prevent cognitive decline by supporting the function of neurons. While vitamin D has been shown to be low in those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Budson says the cause is still somewhat mysterious. He recommends asking your healthcare provider for a blood test to see if you have low levels of B or D, and then following their advice regarding supplements as they may interact with other medications you are on.
Budson and his colleague, Dale Bredesen, MD, an internationally-recognized expert in the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, additionally explained studies of people who did old-fashioned crossword puzzles vs digital games scored better cognitively and showed less brain shrinkage on MRI results than digital gamers. They believe crossword puzzles may force the person to stretch their brain with different clues over and over while digital games are more predictable.
Since we know sleep is an important component to brain health, the neurologists suggest wearing a smart watch to bed to track your sleep. They explain there are four main goals to track that include:
Overall getting seven hours of sleep a night to help boost brain power.
90 minutes of REM, because that’s “when the brain lays down new memories.”
60 minutes of deep sleep per night. “This is when you’re cleansing and detoxing the brain, and is an important stage to relax the brain and reduce stress.”
Blood oxygen level of at least 94% saturation while sleeping. “You want to have good oxygen,” he adds. “So many people don’t realize their levels are dropping into the 80s—we even see people whose levels fall into the 70s at night, and they don’t realize how bad that is for their brains.”
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Source: womansworld.com/wellness/dementia-prevention-tips-from-a-top-neurologist