Our world is increasingly having a higher number of people living with memory issues such as dementia. Dr. Mario Mendez was asked this question, the natural wonder of “am I losing it?” memory that is. Dr. Mario Mendez, director of behavioral neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at U.C.L.A. explains it this way in a New York Times article. Memory changes, he says.

In a study of nearly 50,000 people, researchers found that short term memory peaks around age 25. “But starting in your fifties,” Dr. Mendez said, “the part of your brain in charge of memory is less efficient.” This is significant because there is an increasing number of people living with dementia in the United States as the demographic of people becomes older.

“Dementia is a disease of the mind that affects every day activities and the ability to perform daily activities,” the World Health Organization explains. The World Health Organization expands on the subject and says that there are currently more than 55 million people worldwide that have dementia every year there are nearly 10 million more cases. Dementia is also the 7th leading cause of death and is one of the major causes of dependency and disability in older adults.

Medical News Today explains that “sedentary habits can increase the risk of dementia.” When you sit for more than ten hours a day you increase the risk of dementia the studies have shown. Sedentary lifestyles also increase the risk for diabetes. Being sedentary also increases the risk for cardiovascular issues as well.

A lifestyle that is full of activity will lead to lower blood pressure. Health of the cardiovascular system is linked to lower risks of dementia. Though the world is aging because people are living longer, we know of ways that we can help our loved ones continue to be autonomous and independent. Daily walks and hobbies like horseback riding and golfing are all ways of staying mentally sharp. So whether you are young or old knowing what dementia is and how to combat it are valuable pieces of applicable information.