Dementia is a devastating disease that takes so much from people, including loved ones. Make sure you’re partnered up with the best person to help stop this aggressive condition from attacking your brain cells.
Researchers from the University of Michigan, and Harvard, have concluded that people who have optimistic partners are less likely to get dementia.
Published in the Journal of Personality, researchers have written that optimistic partners may encourage a more healthy lifestyle.
Those who look on the sunnier side of life may promote exercising together and sharing healthier meals.
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The study followed more than 4,000 heterosexual couples for up to eight years.
Findings reveal that those who married optimists fared better in cognition as their lives went on.
The researchers noted that this may be because their home environments were healthier and less stressful.
Dr William Chopik, an assistant Professor at Michigan State University, said: “We spend a lot of time with our partners.
“They might encourage us to exercise, eat healthier or remind us to take our medicine.
“When your partner is optimistic and healthy, it can translate to similar outcomes in your own life.
“There’s a sense where optimists lead by example, and their partners follow their lead.”
Familiar with what contributes to a healthy brain, Dr Chopik had more to add.
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“We found that when you look at the risk factors for what predicts things like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, a lot of them are things like living a healthy lifestyle.
“Maintaining a healthy weight and physical activity are large predictors, there are some physiological markers as well.
“It looks like people who are married to optimists tend to score better on all of those metrics.”
Although risk factors such as age and a genetic predisposition to developing dementia can’t be helped, there are other risk factors which could be avoided.
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Alzheimer’s Association state there is a link between head injuries and the future risk of dementia.
This is why it’s best practice to wear a helmet while riding a bike.
And it’s also now a legal requirement to wear a seat belt whenever you’re in a car or coach.
Another thing to consider is your heart health.
The charity proclaims there is strong evidence between heart health and brain health.
It adds: “This connection makes sense, because the brain is nourished by one of the body’s richest networks of blood vessels, and the heart is responsible for pumping blood through these blood vessels to the brain.”
Conditions that damage the heart and blood vessels, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, all increase a person’s risk of dementia.
The charity encourages people to eat a healthy diet, stay socially active, avoid tobacco and excess alcohol, and exercise the body and mind to minimise the risk of dementia.
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