You may already know that shuffling your feet while walking can be an early sign of dementia, affecting someone’s ability to, say, go up the stairs.
But scientists may have identified another possible early symptom that shows up in your stride.
A 2022 study, published in JAMA Network Open, didn’t look at walking on its own; they compared older people’s hiking styles to their memory.
Advertisement
The changes in walking didn’t mean much without a decline in certain cognitive skills, they say.
But those who notice differences in their walk alongside cognitive changes, referred to by the study as “dual decliners,” had a higher risk of developing dementia than the rest of the participants.
They examined gait speed in two-year intervals across seven years, and again in the final year.
They also looked at cognitive changes (in memory, verbal fluency, mental processing speed, and “global” cognition) at years 0, 1, 3, 5, and at the close-out of the test.
“Association between domains, such as processing speed and verbal fluency, with gait have been explained by the crossover in the underlying networks or pathology,” the paper says.
Advertisement
It continues, “Of domains examined, the combination of decline in gait speed with memory had the strongest association with dementia risk. These findings support the inclusion of gait speed in dementia risk screening assessments.”
Does this mean walking more slowly over time is a dementia sign?
No ― again, it was only relevant when paired with cognitive changes.
If you suspect dementia in yourself or a loved one, the NHS advises you to see a GP as soon as possible.
Bringing up the topic with a loved one can be hard, they say, so be sure you approach the topic gently, in a situation they’re familiar with, and without rushing.
“A diagnosis of dementia can also help people with these symptoms, and their families and friends, make plans so they’re prepared for the future,” they add.
We all hear a lot about blood pressure, but depending on how often you take a trip to your doctor’s, you might not know what yours is.
The term refers to “the strength with which your blood pushes on the sides of your arteries as it’s pumped around your body,” the NHS says (how bad is it that I didn’t know that?).
Advertisement
Low blood pressure isn’t usually a concern, though it can make some of us feel dizzy and sometimes causes fainting.
But high blood pressure “can increase your risk of developing serious problems, such as heart attacks and strokes, if it’s not treated.”
You can get your blood pressure checked using a blood pressure machine (if you’re over 40, you can get this done for free in participating pharmacies).
Once you get those numbers you might be wondering what’s normal for your age ― and according to the Heart Research Institute, “normal blood pressure varies from person to person” and by age and gender.
Advertisement
These are:
1) Newborns up to 1 month
Systolic (top number): 60–90 mm Hg
Diastolic (bottom number): 20–60 mm Hg
2) Infants
Systolic (top number): 87–105 mm Hg
Diastolic (bottom number): 53–66 mm Hg
3) Toddlers
Systolic (top number): 95–105 mm Hg
Diastolic (bottom number): 53–66 mm Hg
4) Preschoolers
Systolic (top number): 95–110 mm Hg
Diastolic (bottom number): 56–70 mm Hg
5) School-aged children
Systolic (top number): 97–112 mm Hg
Diastolic (bottom number): 57–71 mm Hg
6) Adolescents
Systolic (top number): 112–128 mm Hg
Diastolic (bottom number): 66–80 mm Hg
7) 18–39 years
Women: 110/68 mm Hg
Men: 119/70 mm Hg
8) 40–59 years
Women: 122/74 mm Hg
Men: 124/77 mm Hg
9) 60+ years
Women: 139/68 mm Hg
Men: 133/69 mm Hg
Why does age and gender affect normal blood pressure levels?
According to the National Institute of Aging, “normal” blood pressure levels differ among different age groups because “Your body’s network of blood vessels, known as the vascular system, changes with age.”
“Arteries get stiffer, causing blood pressure to go up,” they add. That’s true even for very health and heart-conscious people.
And “Although the mechanisms responsible for the gender differences in blood pressure control are not clear, there is significant evidence that androgens, such as testosterone, play an important role in gender-associated differences in blood pressure regulation,” a research paper published by the American Heart Association (AHA) says.
The AHA wrote on a separate page that pre-menopausal women tend to have lower blood pressure than men, but added that “after menopause, however, blood pressure increases in women to levels even higher than in men.”
They tracked who got mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, and who didn’t.
What did they mean by “psychological well-being”?
The team measured “self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, positive relation with others, and personal growth,” the researchers said.
Every year, they measured participants’ scores in those six areas using Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-Being.
Advertisement
They found that “Psychological well-being (specifically purpose in life and personal growth) became significantly lower before MCI diagnosis,” the study said.
Researchers found that the dip in psychological well-being usually happened six years before the diagnosis.
The 73 participants who developed dementia were more likely to have lower psychological well-being than those who didn’t.
The mean age of participants was 79.9 years old, and “most participants are white and female, which may limit the generalisability of our findings to other populations,” the scientists said.
So, will I definitely get dementia if my psychological well-being is low?
Absolutely not.
“Future studies with larger and more diverse samples are warranted to verify our findings,” the paper said ― even then, it only studied older, mostly white, mostly female people.
Advertisement
They did not find that every person with decreased psychological wellbeing got MCI or dementia, nor did they find that every person with good psychological wellbeing was dementia or MCI-free.
“Compared with participants who were dementia-free, those who developed dementia were more likely to be older, female, APOE ε4 carriers, and to have a lower level of psychological well-being (p0.05 for all),” the paper said.
Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation for Alzheimer’s Society, told The Guardian that it’s very likely taking care of your mental health and social life is a prevention factor.
But he added, “At this stage, it is not clear whether we can use these wellbeing factors as a predictor of MCI and we need research to demonstrate if tackling these factors might change the trajectory of a decline in memory and thinking skills.”
Speak to your GP ASAP if you suspect you or a loved one have dementia.
For many people, 2022 went by in a blink – doesn’t it feel like it was just January? But for others, especially children, last year’s holidays may seem like eons ago.
There’s a reason why you may feel like the years moved slowly when you were a kid, but zoom by now. Experts say our perception of time greatly changes as we age, which makes certain periods feel like they go by quickly.
Advertisement
“Our perception of days, weeks, years and that kind of time seems to be especially influenced by our perspective: Are we in the moment experiencing it, or are we looking backward on time?” says Cindy Lustig, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan.
She added that the perception of time is also influenced by memory and how much you’ve experienced. For an eigh-year-old, a week is a big portion of their life. For an 80-year-old, a week is a much smaller portion of their life, which contributes to the feeling that it went by quickly.
Looking back on time plays into this feeling of acceleration
A day in the life of a retired 80-year-old may feel like it’s going by more slowly than that of an eight-year-old who is busy at school. However, when both people look back on a month or a year, that period of time will seem like it went by faster to the older person.
This is for a number of reasons. For the 80-year-old, their life probably doesn’t look too different than it did when they were 78 or 79, “so, in that case, they’re looking back on fewer events,” Lustig says. “When you’re looking back, the less rich your representation is, the more it’s going to seem like the time went by quickly.”
Advertisement
In other words, our brains lump time together when the days or weeks are similar. So for an 80-year-old who largely does the same thing every day, the year is going to blend together in their mind and feel like it went by quickly.
The new and exciting things in a day are what make the days and months feel different, and thus set them apart in our minds.
Halfpoint Images via Getty Images
As you age, your perception of time changes, which is why years may feel like they fly by.
Changes to your routine can also affect how fast the years seem to go by
The many experiences young children have in a day (such as learning new things at school, going to ballet class or visiting a new friend’s house) contribute to the notion that time is more plentiful and more activities can fit into that time. Therefore, when looking back, time may feel slower.
Advertisement
This can apply to adults, too. When we look back on a time period that was filled with lots of new experiences, “we see [a] large expense of events and memories, and that makes it seem like time stretches out … and it feels very long,” Lustig says. If you’re not introducing new patterns into your life, time can feel like it’s going by much quicker overall.
Some experts think that how our brain absorbs images impacts our perception of time
How we process what we see can also influence how we view time, Bejan says. Our brains are trained to receive many images when we are infants. Because we’re absorbing so many new images as kids, it may feel like months and years are longer.
As adults, “the brain receives fewer images than it was trained to receive when young,” Bejan says. Therefore, we feel like time went by more quickly. In other words, there are physiological factors at play that influence our perception of time ― namely, the older we get, the faster it feels.
Maskot via Getty Images
Trying out new things can help it feel like time went by more slowly.
While you can’t slow time, you can do things to feel like it’s moving a little slower.
Bejan says many older people ask him how they can slow down time, “because everybody wants to live longer [and has] the urge to do more and better things with the time that is available.”
Advertisement
He said one way to do this is to experience things that are new and out of your usual regimen.
This could mean picking up a childhood hobby (like dancing or violin), taking an overnight trip to a city you’ve never visited or signing up for a cooking class. Learning new things is another good way to make your time feel longer when you look back on your life, he said.
Bejan stresses the adage “variety is the spice of life”: you should get out of your routine and take advantage of the time you have, which will only help make you feel like your year had more time to fill, he says.
Living a routine-only life makes the year fly really fast, he adds.
Lustig notes that being fully engaged and “in the moment” can make those moments seem to last longer. In fact, laboratory studies show that mindfulness exercises can stretch our perception of time, she says. So don’t try to focus on multiple tasks at once. Instead, just focus on the experience at hand.
“None of us know how much time we have, but, interestingly, we do actually have a lot of control over how we experience that time,” Lustig says. “So I encourage everybody to make the most of the time that you’ve got.”
New research is offering some actionable steps we can take to protect our minds from memory loss.
A large UK-based study published this week in the American Academy of Neurology’s medical journal found that physical and mental activities – such as doing household chores, exercising or visiting loved ones may help lower the risk of dementia.
The roughly 11-year study followed 501,376 people in the UK who self-reported their physical and mental activities at the beginning of the experiment: how often they visit with friends, their education level, how often they climb stairs, how they commute to work, and more.
Advertisement
The study found certain activities were associated with a lower risk of dementia. People who frequently exercised had a 35% lower risk, people who frequently did household chores had a 21% lower risk and people who visited daily with family and friends had a 15% lower risk.
And while dementia risk factors also include things that are out of our control – like ageing and genetics ― the research underscores that there are behaviours within your power to either reduce your risk of dementia or delay the condition, Dr. Scott Turner, director of the memory disorders program at Georgetown University Medical Centre, tells HuffPost.
The study does come with a few caveats: The findings are a correlation, not necessarily a direct link. Another limitation is that because people reported their own physical and mental activities, there’s always a chance that some people forgot about activities they engaged in or reported them incorrectly.
“More research is needed to confirm our findings. However, our results are encouraging that making these simple lifestyle changes may be beneficial,” study author Dr. Huan Song of Sichuan University in China, said in a statement.
Whether through physical activity, social activity or mental activity, putting your brain to work can help delay dementia onset or reduce the risk altogether.
Chores double as both a physical and mental activity (and can even sometimes be considered exercise, Turner noted). Visits with loved ones are a social activity that also requires mental stimulation, and physical activity requires mental dedication, too.
Turner said that people who develop visual or hearing problems could be at a higher risk of dementia if they don’t address the problem by getting glasses or hearing aids. When you can’t hear or see, he explained, “you’re depriving your brain of sensory input, and you need to keep your brain stimulated” to help reduce your risk of dementia.
Morsa Images via Getty Images
Physical activity is one way to help decrease your risk of dementia.
Advertisement
Physical activity has a double benefit when it comes to dementia risk
Another risk factor for dementia is diabetes, Turner notes, and there are lifestyle patterns you can follow to reduce your risk of diabetes. These include exercising, following a healthy diet and maintaining an ideal body weight throughout your lifetime.
So, not only does exercise help slash your risk of dementia, but it also helps slash your risk of diabetes, which, in itself, puts you at risk for memory loss.
It’s never too late to implement these changes
Turner stresses that no matter your age, it’s never too late to start following some of these lifestyle recommendations. And that can be as simple as doing some extra vacuuming around the house or going for a walk with your neighbour, for example.
“I recommend doing as much as possible with lifestyle [changes] to avoid and prevent dementia,” he says. “And, of course, prevention is better than treatment.”
For those who already have memory problems or dementia, Turner says lifestyle changes that require physical, social or mental activity are still beneficial. You can help slow down the progression of dementia by keeping your brain stimulated. This is why puzzles are a popular activity among people with Alzheimer’s disease.
Advertisement
If you experience any new memory problems, talk to your doctor
“If someone does develop memory problems, then they certainly should seek evaluation starting with their primary care provider,” Turner says.
He stresses that some very treatable things cause memory problems, like sleep apnea and Vitamin B12 deficiency. But any neurological changes should be evaluated so you get the proper treatment plan.
This is probably not a question Prince William is asking himself as enters his fifth decade. But the Duke of Cambridge’s birthday has got us thinking about milestone ages, and why some of us place so much significance on certain numbers.
For women, approaching ‘The Big Four O’ often means discussions of fertility and the biological clock intensify (whether or not you want children and even though a woman doesn’t suddenly wake up on her birthday unable to conceive).
Advertisement
But what’s at the forefront of men’s minds as they approach this age? We asked a bunch of guys aged 39 and over to find out.
‘I get a lot of stick for being single still’
“I’m almost 40, single, with no permanent long-term job. I still love travelling and exploring and totally lack any sort of plan. But I’m kind of okay with that.
“At 40, you’re expected to have job security, a demonstration of some sort of career progression, where you’ve ended up with a bigger salary, a nicer suit and a nicer house.
Advertisement
“I get a lot of stick for being single still. All my friends are in marriages or second marriages in some cases, people say: ‘you’re not going to get sorted are you?’ Every now and then, you do question your life choices. There are always going to be periods in a 12 month calendar where you’re going to have a couple of phases of self-doubt, where you might question the way you’ve done things. You might feel a bit sorry for yourself and have a bit of a pity party. But on the whole I’m quite content with where things are – I’ve seen a lot of the world, I’ve met a lot of great people. I’ve been very, very fortunate in that sense.” – Stephen Boyd, 39, Lincolnshire
‘I was fine with turning 40, but turning 41 hit me hard’
Peter McKerry
“Turning 40 didn’t phase me, but when I turned 41 I began to obsess over the fact that my life was in a type of descent towards the inevitable end, and that my best experiences were behind me. I was also worried that if I had a child I’d have a limited amount of time to be in their life. My dad was 53 when I was born and I was teased about it at school, so I didn’t want to be an ‘old dad’.
“As it turned out I was 43 when my daughter was born so I beat him by 10 years! Now my life is all about watching her grow and develop (she’ll be three in August) and it has given me joy but also anxiety. I’m trying to live in the moment now because I don’t want to have more regrets than I already do, and I want my daughter to have the happiest and most secure childhood I can give her. So now I don’t obsess as much over my age or my past as I have a real focus on ensuring Flora is happy and loved.” – Peter McKerry, 45, Westcliff-on-Sea
‘Men get more of a free pass’
Andy Dewar
Advertisement
“I turn 44 this week and love it. I think 30 was more of hurdle for me psychologically, as it was the age where I felt you needed to knuckle down to some responsibilities and achievements personally and professionally, as well as resenting the fact I was no longer young and carefree. So by your 40s, you can enjoy all the new challenges and opportunities that come your way.
“There’s far more pressure on women at all ages but particularly 40s to have a great career and be a mum, I think. As far as media and peer pressure goes, men get more of a free pass. I’m lucky in the sense family and friends have never had any great competition between us to do well, some days are a grind, some days are easy. If you set yourself targets you lose sight of what’s important, which in my case is just trying to enjoy whatever it is I’m doing.” –Andy Dewar, 44, Hamilton, Scotland
‘I haven’t altered anything’
Michael Charles Grant
“I felt perfectly fine [approaching 40], with no pre-conceived thoughts of 40 being an issue and prohibiting me from what I can do physically and mentally. I look younger than my age so perhaps that played a fact in my mindset.
Has anything about being 40 surprised me? No not at all, why should it? I haven’t altered anything about my lifestyle to encompass my age or felt as if I had needed to.” – Michael Charles Grant, 40, Hertfordshire
Advertisement
‘Turning 40 made me re-evaluate my health and fitness’
″40… oh, that sounds old. Well, that was the thinking I had when I was in my mid 30s and heading towards 40. Society slots you into a category when your age starts with a four. I had just had my twin boys Alex and Lewis a few months before and dealing with them was really taxing on the mind and body. It was then also that I decided that ‘Dad Bod’ wasn’t something I liked and that I needed to do something about it. General fitness levels were poor and I found myself struggling with day to day tasks in dealing with two newborns. So I said to myself ‘Paul, you’re now 40, you’ve got the twins to think about, you don’t want two young boisterous boys growing up with a dad that can’t keep up… time to get into shape.’ It was a ‘If I don’t do this now, I never will’, moment.
“I’m in better shape now that I was in my 20s and 30s. Confident in how I look, with loads of energy for playing with the twins. My change in physique also motivated my wife to get back to the gym too, plus it has brought us closer with shared interest in fitness and just being better for our sons. Also, more body confident = more intimacy too.” – Paul McCaw, 46, Belfast Northern Ireland
‘Every decade has got better for me.’
Stu McKinlay
“Every decade has got better for me so – despite the birthday itself not feeling like a big deal – I was really excited that my 40s would continue that trend.
Advertisement
“My 30s were where I started to put into action the stuff that I had discovered in my 20s. I left my really great job in the public service (which I totally loved) to start my own business in brewing. My wife and I started the business, had three kids, and then moved our business and family from New Zealand to UK. It was busy beyond belief, but we were both doing things we loved. Coming up for seven years into my 40s and despite the clusterfucks of Brexit and Covid, I’m having the time of my life!
“While there’s immense privilege in being a man – and that’s something far too few men understand – I think there’s a lot of pressure on men to achieve certain things by certain ages. I’m constantly aware of how, at certain stage in my life, I feel like I’ve still not grown up. And I wonder if my parents felt the same. I do remember my dad telling me that he didn’t actually feel safe and comfortable in his life until he was in his 50s. I totally get that. I guess a part of it is kids growing up and releasing that weight of expectation around looking after them.” – Stu McKinlay, 46, London
