{"id":111407,"date":"2025-06-04T14:26:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T14:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/?post_type=news&p=111407"},"modified":"2025-06-03T14:33:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T14:33:14","slug":"stress-significantly-increases-your-dementia-risk-here-are-4-ways-to-fight-back","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.stress.org\/news\/stress-significantly-increases-your-dementia-risk-here-are-4-ways-to-fight-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Stress significantly increases your dementia risk \u2014 here are 4 ways to fight back"},"content":{"rendered":"

Keeping your cool could be the key to keeping your mind.<\/p>\n

Researchers have long known that\u00a0dementia risk<\/a>\u00a0goes up with age, family history, poor diet, lack of exercise and even the\u00a0loss of hearing, sight, smell and taste<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But a new paper says\u00a0chronic stress<\/a>\u00a0is also a silent saboteur \u2014 one that can set the stage for long-term\u00a0cognitive decline<\/a>\u00a0if left unchecked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is hard to overstate the impact of stress on your cognitive health as you age,\u201d Jennifer E. Graham-Engeland and Martin J. Sliwinski, healthy aging professors at Pennsylvania State University,\u00a0wrote in The Conversation<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/div>\n

\u201cThis is in part because your psychological, behavioral and biological responses to everyday stressful events\u00a0are closely intertwined and each can amplify and interact with the other.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, chronic stress can keep you up at night, which can make you\u00a0too tired to exercise<\/a>, which can make it harder to eat healthy \u2014 and so on.<\/p>\n

Here are the four ways these experts suggesting fighting back against stress-related cognitive decline:<\/p>\n

Rethink your routine<\/h4>\n

A few lifestyle tweaks could go a long way. Regular exercise, balanced meals,\u00a0quality sleep<\/a>, and a little\u00a0mindfulness<\/a>\u00a0each day can reduce stress levels and strengthen your brain.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not about running marathons or eating kale by the pound \u2014 even small shifts in your day-to-day habits can help\u00a0calm your nervous system<\/a>\u00a0and reduce long-term risk.<\/p>\n

Mind your mind<\/h4>\n

Just like you\u2019d treat a sore throat,\u00a0mental health<\/a>\u00a0needs care too.<\/p>\n

Therapy, meditation apps,\u00a0breathing exercises<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 whatever helps you decompress is worth taking seriously.<\/p>\n

Chronic anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand with stress and can amplify cognitive strain.<\/p>\n

Call the doctor<\/h4>\n

Think stress is a problem for a therapist, rather than a PCP? Think again.<\/p>\n

Primary care doctors can help spot physical\u00a0signs of chronic stress<\/a>, recommend next steps or refer you to a specialist.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t wait until symptoms pile up \u2014 early intervention can make all the difference.<\/p>\n

Socialize more<\/h4>\n

Strong social ties<\/a>\u00a0can reduce stress, improve mood and even slow cognitive decline.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s dinner with friends, volunteering or just chatting with neighbors, regular interaction helps keep the brain sharp.<\/p>\n

And it doesn\u2019t have to take long.<\/p>\n

\u201cResearch suggests that adding\u00a0just one extra interaction a day\u00a0\u2014 even if it\u2019s\u00a0a text message or a brief phone call\u00a0\u2014 can be helpful and that even interactions with people you don\u2019t know well, such as at a coffee shop or doctor\u2019s office, can have meaningful benefits,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: stress isn\u2019t just a state of mind \u2014 it\u2019s a health hazard.<\/p>\n

But with a few mindful changes, you can help your brain stay cool, calm and collected for years to come.<\/p>\n

By\u00a0Diana Bruk\u00a0<\/a> for The New York Post<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Image by\u00a0\ud83c\udf38\u2661\ud83d\udc99\u2661\ud83c\udf38 Julita \ud83c\udf38\u2661\ud83d\udc99\u2661\ud83c\udf38<\/a>\u00a0from\u00a0Pixabay<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Keeping your cool could be the key to keeping your mind. Researchers have long known that\u00a0dementia risk\u00a0goes up with age, family history, poor diet, lack of exercise and even the\u00a0loss […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":111408,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"pmpro_default_level":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false},"categories":[12,139,10,194,14],"tags":[136,137,143,120,165,151],"class_list":["post-111407","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-adult-stress","category-daily-life-blog","category-emotional-support","category-family-stress","category-senior-stress","tag-ais","tag-american-institute-of-stress","tag-mental-health","tag-stress","tag-stress-relief","tag-workplace-stress","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nStress significantly increases your dementia risk \u2014 here are 4 ways to fight back - 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