Stress management techniques to prevent Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Severe stress can have a very bad influence on the good functioning of the brain. Living in today’s hectic world, it is no wonder that more and more people struggle with different levels of stress. Too much stress can lead to shrinkage of certain parts of the brain that are responsible for memory, and as you might already know memory loss and other related impairments represent the number one risk for developing Alzheimer’s.

Here are some stress management techniques that can help you prevent such dangerous brain related impairments:

Introduce relaxation in your daily routine

Every single day you should allocate at least 20 minute for deep relaxation/meditation. Relaxation helps you manage stress much better, and it helps you clear your mind from any negative thoughts. Relaxation can be active such as simply taking a walk, or it can be deep meditation such as Yoga.

Breathing techniques

When you are under a lot of stress, your breathing becomes heavier/faster. When your breathing is not regular your brain does not receive enough oxygen. Therefore, oxygenize your brain by trying to breathe in deeply as often as you can. Abdominal breathing helps regenerating your entire system, and also gives your brain the right mounts of oxygen.

Try a new hobby

Arts and crafts can be extremely useful in trying to manage your stress levels. Just put everything aside for a certain period and engage in your favorite hobby: knitting, doing puzzles, watch movies, reading your favorite novel and even writing poetry. When you are under a lot of pressure and you feel stress is overwhelming, the only way to make things better is to focus on something else.

Healing laughter

Stress is sadness, feelings of loneliness and unmanageable problems. Focusing only on work and administrative tasks or chores is not a good for you or your brain. Fun, laughter, more cherished moments spent with your family and friends can have a healing effect on your entire system. You will feel regenerated and you will be able to think much clearer and take the right decision…if you ensure to put fun and laughter on an important pedestal in your life.

It is said that a healthy sense of humor helps fighting off stress like no medicine out there. Enjoy funny moments with your loved ones and don’t forget to maintain a strong sense of humor in front of all the difficulties coming your way.

If you or a loved one is living with Alzheimer’s disease, in-home care may be the best option to ensure safety, while remaining as independent as possible. Learn more about in-home Alzheimer’s care for additional resources and information.