They always tell us that. To stay healthy, relationships with others, interests in what happens and social relationships are fundamental. And they are even more so as time passes, when perhaps the brain begins to fail a little and perhaps, also thanks to the depressionwe close in on ourselves.
But there are elements that can influence this general picture, even in a negative way. AND the stress, also thanks to the difficulty in resting well and for the right amount of time, can become a variable that affects the path of a possible deficit, as can be had in the case of Alzheimer’s disease. Indeed, this factor could limit what is defined cognitive reserve in those suffering from this pathological condition. Swedish research shows how and why.
What is cognitive reserve
Each of us, with our own experiences, puts aside a certain amount of information and knowledge in life, which integrates daily with what happens. Progressively, as we age, this type of imperceptible but extremely important value becomes the basis for healthy aging.
Thanks to these mechanisms, in fact, we are better able to cope with the changes that life offers us and which in some way can facilitate, or on the contrary counteract, the risks of developing cognitive deficits. In this sense, therefore, those who appear more “prepared” in terms of reserve may have a lower probability of developing cognitive deficiencies.
Also for this maintain relationships with others, Knowing and informing yourself at all ages can help. And for this reason, being able to have effective behaviors, which always require activity for the brain, becomes a tool for healthy aging.
The negative role of stress
Let us therefore always keep in mind the role that mentally stimulating activities and life experiences play in terms of cognitive ability. And in this sense, we also consider among the possible “enemies” lurking the stress which can make the effects of prevention less effective for good brain functioning, even in the case of illness.
Because the research, conducted by experts from the Karolinska Institute and published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association. The scholars started from a fixed point.
When stress is high and persists over time, so let’s talk about chronic stress and not the classic mechanism that allows us to react better to an unexpected event, limited social interactions occur more easily, we engage with greater effort in physical activity and entertainment. Therefore this situation would be associated with a greater risk of serious deficits.
The scientists wanted to verify how much and how stress negatively affects the cognitive reserve of people with memory deficits and Alzheimer’s disease. Detecting how stress would act negatively on the advantages that are linked to a valid one cognitive reserve.
Countermeasures: in people with Alzheimer’s disease we should perhaps also focus on stress control strategies, which are also useful for all of us. The mindfulness exercises and meditationas the authors of the study report, could in fact contribute to limiting the values of stress hormones such as cortisol and therefore positively influence cognitive abilities.
Sleep is important
Let’s be clear. The research was conducted on a very small number of people, so no general conclusions can be drawn. But it is known that stress also disturbs night rest, both in terms of quantity and quality, and this would also affect cognitive abilities. This is why sleeping well matters, also and above all in a preventative way.
Unfortunately insomnia it’s a problem for many. And this affects not only at night, but also has an impact on daytime well-being with drops in attention and reduction in performance. There poor quality of sleep in the long term it can in fact cause the development or worsening of problems with the immune, endocrine, inflammatory and cardiovascular systems but can also be associated with the onset of psychiatric and psychological pathologies.
In short: sleeping badly opens the door to stress. with all that entails, also in terms of cognitive reserve. For this reason, the commitment of Swedish scholars and many other research groups in the world continues to understand how and to what extent a poor night’s rest, in terms of quality and quantity, can influence the cognitive reserve in patients who do not retain their memory, as happens in the disease of Alzheimer’s.
