Have you gone to a room and forgotten why you had gone there? Have you ever picked up the phone, and forgot why you pick it up? Nowadays, forgetfulness as a symptom is increasingly seen and it could be the onset of dementia.
“Dementia has many causes. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause and forgetfulness can be just one of the symptoms of patients with dementia.”
REASONS FOR INCREASE IN PREVALENCE:
Why dementia is getting increasingly common:
- Increase in life expectancy: As medical science develops at a rapid pace, there are fewer deaths . More and more people live beyond the age of 70. As age increases, the brain shrinks more.
- Sedentary lifestyle: Not being physically active increases the risk of developing dementia. A simple rule — is the more movement in our body, the better our brain health. Regular exercise improves circulation and clears toxins.
- Not getting adequate sleep: Sleep disturbances can significantly impair memory. If your sleep is interrupted, you don’t go in the REM mode and memory issues become moon as clearance of unwanted memories, which have to be deleted, doesn’t happen. This causes accumulation of unwanted synapses in the hippocampus, thereby shrinking the brain early.
- Nothing to do post retirement: Many individuals struggle to keep themselves busy once they retire. After the age of 60, many people think they can relax and life will be peaceful, but the brain likes challenges, So, indulge in activities that keep you mentally and physically active.
- Over-dependence on technology: Everything at our fingertips has reduced our overall physical activities. Doom scrolling may keep your brain occupied, but too much unwanted data can decrease attention span and cause sleep issues, invariably causing memory issues later.
WHAT TO DO TO KEEP THE BRAIN SHARP?
“Ensure good uninterrupted sleep, avoid screen time one hour prior to bedtime, read a book before you sleep, indulge in any form of aerobic activity, which could be as simple as walking. Rediscover hobbies or take up new ones. Socializing is also important because it helps from bonds. Although symptoms usually start after the age of 70, the process of dementia may have already started 30 years prior.”
