Brain health in Old Age (5 to 8)

5) Stop smoking

Smoking can affect the memory as well as causing a myriad of other health problems. Smokers have twice the risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to non-smokers, but they can reduce their risk of dementia by quitting smoking. So kicking the habit is a great idea for your body and your mind.

6) Manage stress

Studies of humans and animals suggest that long term stress can be a factor in memory loss. Stress can also increase the risk of depression and anxiety, both of which can affect the memory.

If stress is a problem, you could try a relaxation class or strategies such as breathing deeply and simplifying your life if possible.

7) Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all

Heavy drinking over a long period of time can lead to brain damage. However, moderate drinking can help prevent memory loss — it is unclear how this works, but it is possible that alcohol makes the blood less likely to clot and hence cause tissue damage.

The Australian Government guidelines suggest:

• Healthy men and women should drink no more than 2 standard drinks on any day to reduce the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.
• Older people are particularly susceptible to the effects of alcohol - harm from alcohol-related disease is more evident among older people.

Older people are more likely than younger people to have interactions between alcohol and medicines. Make sure you check with your doctor or pharmacist whether any medicines you are taking interact with alcohol. If you don’t drink, it is not advised that you start purely for the health benefits, as these can be obtained in many other ways.

8) Have your health monitored regularly by your doctor

Regular check-ups can help detect illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease and depression. These conditions increase the risk of memory loss, but they can usually be treated effectively.

What can you do to help remember things?

Here are some strategies you can try.

• Always keep things you need frequently (keys, glasses etc.) in the same place.
• Use a calendar or electronic organiser to keep track of events and keep it with you at all times.
• Make lists of things you have to do each day such as calls to make and bills to pay.
• Keep your address book updated and easy to find.
• Ask your pharmacist to put your medicines in a pill box labelled with the days of the week.

Source: www.mydr.com.au