Good living habits can significantly reduce the risk of stroke, dementia and depression. According to a study published in the journal Neurology in October 2024, failure to properly control health risks such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol in middle age, as well as lack of regular exercise, proper diet and adequate sleep, will increase the chances of developing the above diseases in the future.
The study, led by scholars from Yale University, covered 316,127 participants with an average age of 56. The researchers evaluated the participants’ performance on eight key cardiovascular health indicators, including staying active, not smoking, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a proper weight, normal blood pressure, adequate sleep, and controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and tracked them for five years.
The study found that the risk of stroke, dementia or depression in the lower-scoring group was more than twice that of the higher-scoring group; while the risk of these diseases in the medium-scoring group was 37% higher than that of the best group. This result shows that health choices in middle age have a profound impact on future brain function and mental health.
Implement healthy living and prevent the occurrence of diseases
Experts said that the conclusions drawn from this study are not unfamiliar – a healthy lifestyle has long been an important factor in people’s general cognition. However, with the help of big data, this study once again verified the effectiveness of good living habits in preventing elderly diseases such as stroke and dementia.
However, experts also pointed out that it is not enough to just understand these theories, the most important thing is to put them into practice. Only by truly implementing a healthy lifestyle can we truly prevent diseases. Therefore, relevant departments should increase the promotion of healthy lifestyles and advocate that all people practice healthy habits to maximize the risk of preventing elderly diseases.
How to start building a healthy lifestyle in 2025?
Mental health experts suggest that the eight healthy habits mentioned in the study can be prevented and adjusted, especially staying active and getting enough sleep, which are often disturbed by factors such as mood swings, psychological pressure and interpersonal relationships. Therefore, experts provide three simple ways to help everyone start a healthy lifestyle in 2025.
Evaluate and adjust your current lifestyle
Think about why you have failed to maintain healthy habits in some aspects – such as poor sleep, lack of exercise or unbalanced diet, find out the reasons behind it and work hard to overcome them. Through reflection, you can find out the parts you don’t like or can’t stick to, adjust your way of thinking, and gradually turn the disliked behavior into new interests, making it easier to do.
Cultivate pleasure and self-reward
The development of healthy habits does not have to be about forcing yourself to do things you don’t like. Instead, you should find healthy activities that you are happy to participate in and find fun in the process. For example, you can try to control your carbohydrate intake, reduce starchy foods from three meals to one meal, and reward yourself after achieving this goal. In this way, pleasure will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle more naturally and continuously.
Maintain a peaceful state of mind
In middle age, don’t put too much pressure on yourself when developing healthy habits, and don’t blindly prevent strokes, dementia or depression that may occur in old age. Avoid excessive anxiety, and find a health promotion method that suits you by observing and learning the healthy living habits of your family. Especially in the process of caring for elderly relatives, it may inspire you to reflect more on and improve your healthy lifestyle.
Conclusion
Looking forward to 2025, a healthy lifestyle can not only effectively prevent strokes, dementia and depression, but also bring us a more fulfilling and happier life. By taking action now and starting with small things in our daily lives, through careful adjustments and persistent efforts, we can not only improve the quality of life for ourselves and our families, but also lay a solid foundation for future health.
