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Alzheimer’s disease is an illness that makes us forget even the most common things. The future cannot be influenced, but there are studies that confirm this unpleasant disease can be partly prevented. Genetics and nutrition are certainly powerful and can have a major impact on the development of this condition; however, scientists have found a connection between the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and some unexpected factors.
Anxiety medications and frequent blows to the head as an Alzheimer’s trigger?
A link has been shown between the use of anxiety and sleep medications based on benzodiazepines. Although studies that assess the safety and effectiveness of these drugs cover only the short term, many people take them for much longer. A study published in the British Medical Journal followed 796,000 Canadians with Alzheimer’s disease and 184,000 healthy people for six years and found that using benzodiazepines for longer than three months was associated with a 51% increase in Alzheimer’s disease. Surprisingly, the development of this disease is also associated with frequent blows to the head. Most people usually recover from a bump on the head without complications, but some develop inflammation that damages brain tissue. Here we find a potential link to Alzheimer’s disease.
Prevention? Sleep well and be around people
According to studies, lack of sleep can accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Tests on mice found that skipping four hours of sleep each night increased the amount of tau protein in their brains. This also changed learning, memory, and the way neurons communicate with each other. Chronic sleep deprivation creates stress in the brain and body, which accelerates the harmful processes that cause Alzheimer’s. Another study identified links between loneliness and the development of dementia. Scientists found that feelings of loneliness in older adults increased the chances of developing dementia 1.63 times during the three years the study lasted. Scientists do not know exactly what causes this relationship, but the recommendation is clear: contact with other people is good for our health.
How to defend yourself against the onset of Alzheimer’s disease?
- Eat healthily,
- Keep your brain active,
- Exercise and stay active.
