HEALTHY LIVING THE LATEST RESEARCH
Social Isolation Shrinks the Brain
O
lder people who have little social contact are more likely to
experience brain shrinkage than those who are more socially active, and the loss of volume occurs in areas of the brain aff ected by dementia, according to a Japanese study published in Neurology. The study involved 8,896 dementia-free participants with an average age of 73. They underwent health exams and MRI brain scans, and were asked how often they were in contact with friends and relatives who did not live with them. When compared to those with the most social contact, participants with the least amount of social contact had signifi cantly lower total brain volume as well as lower volumes in the hippocampus and amygdala — both of which play a role in memory. “These results suggest that providing support for people to help them start
EXERCISING WITH OTHERS INCREASES BENEFITS Seniors who exercised alone twice or more weekly decreased their risk of developing cognitive impairment by 15.1%, according to a study published in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. However, those who exercised with others twice or more a week showed a 29.2% decrease. “Exercise’s benefits rise — 14.1 percentage points in our study — when performed with others and at least twice a week,” said senior author Tomohiro Okura, Ph.D., from Japan’s University of Tsukuba. “Adding in the social element may make regular exercise all the more preventive.”
and maintain their connections to others may be benefi cial for preventing brain atrophy and the development of dementia,” said study author Toshiharu Ninomiya, M.D., Ph.D.
SLEEP: BEST TEMPERATURE Sleep is most ef icient and restful when the nighttime bedroom temperature ranges between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a study published in Science of the Total Environment. Researchers saw a 5%-10% drop in sleep ef iciency as temperatures increased from 77 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
DEMENTIA: ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES LOWER RISK Middle-aged and older people who took adult education classes lowered their risk of developing dementia by 19%. The study of more than 280,000 men and women between the ages of 40 and 69, published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, found that those who took the classes lowered their dementia risk regardless of ethnic background or a history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or high cholesterol.
STRESS: INCREASES BIOLOGICAL AGE Adults experience a rapid, strong increase in biological age following emergency or major surgery, pregnancy, or severe COVID-19, concluded a study published in Cell Metabolism. Changes occur over a short amount of time — days or months — but reverse once the stress is removed. Researchers said that the ability to recover from stress may be an important factor in successful aging and longevity.
Frequent Socializing Tied to Longer Lifespan O
lder people who socialize almost daily improve their odds for a long life, according to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Chinese citizens with a median age of 89 were tracked for an average of five years or until death. Time to death was delayed by 42% in those who socialized occasionally, 48% in those who did so at least monthly, 110% in those who did so at least weekly, and 204% in those who did so nearly every day.
96 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | DECEMBER 2023
SKIN CANCER: PLAYING GOLF INCREASES ODDS A study from the University of South Australia found that golfers are at an increased risk for skin cancer. “We found that 27% of golfers — or 1 in 4 — had been diagnosed with skin cancer, as compared with 7% of the general population,” said Brad Stenner, Ph.D. “Knowing this, players should more actively strive to protect themselves.”
WOMEN/SOLSTOCK©ISTOCK / AC/KLYAKSUN©ISTOCK / MAN/DRAZEN ZIGIC©ISTOCK
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