The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health |
| Reading and sleeping are keys to keeping mentally fit among seniors Posted: 01 May 2014 05:35 PM PDT  Getting just the right amount of sleep and reading have been identified as important lifestyle habits for keeping mentally fit in old age in a Spanish study. – shutterstock/AFP Study finds those aged 65 and older have sharper minds when they get at least seven hours of sleep and read a lot. Seven hours of sleep a night and lots of reading. That seems to be the magic formula for keeping mentally alert into old age, according to the findings of a new study out of Spain. After analysing the lifestyles of 245 seniors aged 65 and older, researchers from the CEU Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia, Spain found that those who slept either too much or too little and abstained from brain-stimulating activities like reading were at increased risk of developing cognitive impairment. According to their study, published in the journal Revista de Investigacion Clinica, seniors who slept more than eight hours or less than six, were 2.6 times more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment compared to those who got six to eight hours a night. Likewise, the absence of brain-boosting activities like reading also contributed to cognitive decline: Those who admitted to not reading were 3.7 times at increased risk, while those who said they read occasionally increased their risk by 2.5 times. Overall, 12% of the participants suffered from cognitive impairment. Researchers point out that age-related cognitive decline affects 35.6 million people worldwide. According to the World Alzheimer Report, that figure is expected to spike to 100 million cases in 2050. Other known lifestyle habits that can help seniors keep their brain sharp is to adopt a regular exercise regime and a healthy diet that includes brain-boosting foods rich in omega-3s and antioxidants. – AFP Relaxnews |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Health To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan