How to Mitigate Cognitive Decline Without Medications
When you start to notice that you or a loved one’s memory isn't as good as it used to be, or there is trouble concentrating on tasks, cognitive decline can seem inevitable.
Fortunately, there are a number of ways to mitigate the effects without taking medications. Let’s explore what cognitive decline is and how it can affect our lives before going over some tips for reducing its impact without medication.
What is Cognitive Decline?
Cognitive decline is a term used to describe the loss of ability to think and remember things over time. This usually occurs gradually and can vary in severity from person to person. However, there are certain factors that we know increase our risk for cognitive decline such as age (the older you get the greater your chances), a family history of dementia or Alzheimer's Disease, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, smoking cigarettes, and so on. It typically manifests itself through forgetfulness more than anything else, but may also be accompanied by depression if it becomes severe.
Partake in a Healthy Lifestyle
There is a lot that we can do to reduce our risk for cognitive decline without medication. A healthy lifestyle, particularly one that includes physical activity and good nutrition (lots of fruits and vegetables), can improve memory function significantly while reducing stress levels, which also contributes to mental clarity.
Always Stimulate Your Mind
It is important to always challenge your brain by learning new things and participating in activities that require you to think. For example, take up a craft or join a book club or other group where you can discuss ideas with others. The more often we exercise our mental muscles, the stronger they become, which helps maintain cognitive health as we grow older.
Get Daily Exercise
It is also important to incorporate some form of exercise into our daily lives. This can be anything from a regular walk around your neighborhood to going for a swim or working out at the gym. Additionally, diet and nutrition are closely related so pay attention to what you eat as well as how much. At Magnolia Gardens, our Vancouver senior care staff make sure to include exercise and home-cooked nutritious meals as a part of the lives of all of our residents.
Socialize Often with Friends and Family
Lastly, those who have a strong social network of friends and family tend to maintain more positive mental health as they age. Staying socially engaged can help us avoid cognitive decline so be sure to spend some time with others every day if you're able.
By following this tip, you will likely notice an improvement in your memory function which helps combat the onset of dementia or Alzheimer's Disease that is often associated with cognitive decline.
Show Daily Gratitude
One final piece of advice that can help you maintain cognitive health is to show gratitude. Every night, before going to bed or in the morning when you wake up, sit down, and write out three things for which you are grateful. This may sound silly, but it has been shown through countless scientific studies that it not only improves our moods, but it stimulates neuroplasticity within the brain so we stay sharp as time goes by.
If you believe that your loved one needs supervision after showing signs of cognitive decline, please give us a call. We would love to speak with you, answer any questions you may have, and assist your family in finding the right solution for them.