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Doing Household Chores and Other Physical Activities Linked to a Lower Risk of Dementia
There’s really no way to sugarcoat this sad fact: more than 470,000 Aussies currently suffer from dementia and these numbers are expected to only increase with time (and our ageing population). More than half of all people in residential aged care experience - to varying degrees - this terrible disease that results in the progressive loss of cognitive functions.
Housework-related activities are associated with a 21% lower risk of dementia. Source: Unsplash
Ageing is the single most significant risk factor for developing late-onset dementia. Worldwide, it is estimated that around 5-7% of all people aged over 60 currently have some form of dementia - that’s a staggering 55 million people. Ironically, as healthcare and technology continue to improve and average life expectancy increases, that number is expected to triple by 2050.
Although researchers are hard at work and there have been some promising discoveries, there is currently no known cure for dementia. And so the pressing question that needs to be answered is: what lifestyle choices/changes can you start doing today to lower your risk of developing the disease?
A recent study that took a closer look at the various physical and mental activities that affected the risk of developing dementia found that three lifestyle factors were strongly linked to a significantly lower risk of cognitive decline.
The researchers analysed data from more than 500,000 participants aged 40-69 from the UK Biobank that were free of dementia at the start of the study. They followed and recorded the general lifestyle of the participants over the course of 10 years and noted 5,185 participants who did develop dementia.
Regular physical activities are associated with a 35% lower risk of dementia. Source: Unsplash
In their research article published in the peer-reviewed journal Neurology, the researchers determined three lifestyle factors that have shown significant links to a lower risk of developing dementia.
Frequent and regular physical activities were at the top of the list, believed to result in a 35% lower risk of developing dementia. Activities that fall under this category include jogging, running, yoga, stretching, swimming, and so on.
Housework-related activities came in second, with data indicating a 21% risk reduction for developing dementia. Regular cleaning, sweeping, and home organisation can go a very long way in making your mind and body more active and refreshed.
Finally, social visits to friends and family come in third, believed to result in a 15% lower risk for developing dementia. Going out with your loved ones and socialising with other people refreshes one’s mind and makes for a great change of pace for all of us, regardless of age.
Social visits to family and friends are associated with a 15% lower risk of dementia. Source: Unsplash
It’s worth noting that the study hasn’t yet proven that regular physical activity, housework, and social visits will result in a lower chance of getting dementia. In other words, these three activities haven’t yet been conclusively proven to be directly responsible for a lower risk of dementia - the scientists just found a correlation between people who regularly engage in exercise, household chores, and socialising.
Despite all of this, the findings of this study paint a positive picture. Even small adjustments to your daily routine and lifestyle may have the power to reduce the likelihood of developing dementia as we age. It’s never too late to start adjusting your lifestyle, so we heartily recommend cleaning the house and then going for a brisk walk with a couple of friends!
