According to the World Health Organization, in 2021, 57 million people were living with dementia; by 2050, this number is predicted to increase to 153 million. Most of these people are over 65 years old, but some things can lower the risk of having dementia in the future. If you were to look up ways you can lower the risk of being diagnosed with dementia, the answer suggests a healthy lifestyle, which includes exercise, enough sleep, and a healthy diet. This is because it targets the brain’s cognitive functions, helping strengthen the brain’s memory and attention skills.
Dementia is the name given to a mental disease that describes the continuous decline of cognitive function. This means that over time, you lose skills like attention, problem-solving, memory, reasoning, and perception. There is no real answer to this, and no cure to this disease. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t prevent it.
Having a healthy lifestyle and the habits built within it, like exercise, a healthy diet, and sleep, can help strengthen your cognitive functions. For starters, physical activity on its own can prevent the disease itself. Moving your body routinely is a habit that requires a lot of memory comprehension. Whether that means remembering how to kick a soccer ball, or remembering what hand position you need for a forehand in tennis, your mind is constantly working and pushing itself. In a way, you’re taking your brain to physical therapy. Exercise is constantly improving your focus and attention.
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, exercise can improve the health of your blood vessels. Exercise can improve and strengthen your blood pressure and flow. This comes into play with dementia because the nutrients in your blood can be easily accessed to your brain helping brain abilities. Being able to exercise means so much more than being fit, it is being able to actually know how to move your body. Although it may not seem like it to the people reading this paper (mostly under the age of 18) over time it becomes harder and harder to work your body and remember how to.
Along with exercise, maintaining good sleep and a healthy diet is vital to your brain health. Consuming nutrient-rich food assists the brain’s cognitive function to not decline, which is in the bigger picture helping prevent dementia. It is proven that foods with fatty acids and omega three can directly boost brain health.
Sleep is arguably the most important thing for the brain. During those hours you are sleeping the brain has a restorative element to it. It cleans out unneeded waste which could include dementia, while at the same time making memory storage stronger. Having a consistent sleep schedule is crucial to the brain’s health and overall prevents dementia.
A life including exercise is one that athletes live every day, this is because being an athlete requires a lifestyle centered around making sure your body is performing the best it can be. A few ways athletes do this is by maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep each night, and persistent exercise throughout the week. These are all ways people can lower their risk of getting dementia in the future.
According to an article written in August of 2024 by Harvard Health Publishing, exercise can benefit the brain along with other parts of the body. The article references studies that have suggested, “parts of the brain that control thinking and memory are larger in volume in people who exercise than in people who don’t.” Dr. Scott McGinnis, assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, says that making exercise a habit is one way you can increase the brain benefits from exercise. He recommends making a goal to exercise often, even if you aren’t a full-time athlete. For instance, walking a few times a week is one way you can lower your risk of getting dementia in the future.
However, exercise doesn’t only positively impact your physical health, but also your mental health. According to an article written in March of 2020 by the American Psychological Association, many experts believe that consistent exercise helps treat anxiety and mood disorders as antidepressants. The article recognizes the lack of evidence regarding the direct correlation between exercise and the brain, but mentions that, “some researchers are observing possible links between exercise and brain chemicals associated with stress, anxiety and depression. One theory is that physical activity triggers a release of dopamine and serotonin, which can improve mood.” Exercise can also be particularly helpful for people who deal with stress and panic attacks, this is because exercise mimics the stress response that comes with anxiety, which helps people learn how to deal with coping in stressful situations. Athletes consistently attend practices and games/matches, Phycologists acknowledge how this routine of getting up and moving can result in many other healthy habits like sleep and diet. According to an article by the National Library of Medicine published in June, 2024, by Jaivarsini Johnson, happy emotions have positive effects on long-term memory.
When Saints were asked how exercising and sports impact your life, many students acknowledged the downsides sports can have, such as injury or exhaustion, but overall there was a consensus that being active positively impacts their lifestyle and that they feel the benefits of exercise daily.
Freshman at SSSAS and year-round tennis player, Finn Coco, says, “Learning how to try really hard is important. Learning perseverance, like adaptability.” Coco references how learning how to be an athlete is also learning how to challenge and push your brain’s capability. It’s not just a physical battle, it’s a mental one, too. Coco also shares that he is, “more inclined to eat healthy” because of his sport.
Twelve-season athlete and D1 lacrosse commit, Anna Strauss, says, ”I think all sports challenge you to have a strong mindset.” An idea that correlates with Coco’s, that sports challenge your brain to work harder and exercise boosts brain health in the long run.
Shoutout to our 12-season athletes: RJ Davis, Loui Goin, Finley Knutson, James london, Haley Lookado, Bart O’Conner, Anna Stauss, and Patrick Thomas!
Being an athlete means you are already living a lifestyle that includes needing to get a good diet in, enough hours of sleep in, and exercising daily. Consistently fueling your brain with the nutrients and strength it needs helps lower the risk of getting diagnosed with dementia in the future. Although these aren’t the only factors preventing dementia, establishing these habits can positively impact your current life and what the future could look like for you.
