STRESS affects Alzheimer’s risk. It’s that simple. This research study explains how that happens, and offers 10 ways to de-stress and relax.
The Study
Women who suffer from a lot of stress in middle age may increase their risk of developing dementia.
This is according to research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
The researchers say that the response to common life events – such
as divorce or serious illness or death of a close family member – may
trigger long lasting physiological changes in the brain. The study
looked at 800 Swedish women whose mental health and wellbeing was
tracked over a period of almost 40 years as part of the larger project
which started in 1968. Between 1968 and 2006, 10 per cent (153)
developed dementia, 104 of whom developed Alzheimer’s disease.
How to De-Stress
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Suggestions for De-Stressing
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Physical
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Work
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Family
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Financial
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Stress in Alzheimer’s Prevention & Treatment
Dr. Doug Brown, Director of Research and Development at the UK’s Alzheimer’s Society, commented,
‘This study is not the first to link stress with the development of
dementia. However, it is still unclear whether stress is a cause of the
condition or exacerbates the symptoms.
‘We all go through stressful events at some stage in our lives.
Understanding how these events may become a risk factor for the
development of Alzheimer’s disease is key to helping us find ways of
preventing or treating the condition. This is an important area of
research and one that we are currently supporting. It’s hoped the
results of our study, and others, will offer clues to new treatments or
better ways of managing Alzheimer’s.’
Other good sources on how to develop healthy habits to prevent Alzheimer’s include:
- Article: How to Relax and De-Stress, by WikiHow.com
- Book: 100 Simple Things You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer’s, by CNN Medical Correspondent Jean Carper
MORE INFORMATION:
Research Ref: Dr Lena Johansson et al. ‘Common psychosocial
stressors in middle-aged women related to longstanding distress and
increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease: a 38-year longitudinal population
study‘, published in BMJ Open, 30 September 2013
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