Cognitive health is defined as “the ability to think, learn and remember”. It is how we are able to recall lists, learn new information and remember names and faces. Cognitive health makes up a key part of our brain health.
What is cognitive impairment?
What is cognitive health?
What is cognitive impairment?
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined as:
“a condition in which an individual has mild but measurable changes in thinking abilities that are noticeable to the person affected and to family members and friends, but the individual is still able to carry out everyday activities.”
Does Cognitive Impairment mean I have Alzheimer's?
Mild cognitive impairment does not mean that you have dementia or will develop dementia. However, those with MCI do have an increased risk of developing dementia: 38% of those with MCI go on to develop a type of dementia within the next 5 years(AA report 2018). Even more important to note, is that certain risk factors can increase your chance of going from MCI to dementia.
I’m concerned about my brain health. What can I do?
As we age, we find ourselves increasingly concerned about our cognition. We may forget things more often or find ourselves not having the same attention span on projects as before. While aging is a natural process, there are some actions you can take to keep yourself cognitively sharp.
A healthy lifestyle can protect your brain as well as your body. Get a good amount of sleep, exercise regularly, reduce stress and be social. Research shows that healthy habits like these can decrease the odds of developing dementia and cognitive impairment, as well as other diseases and complications such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Mild cognitive impairment does not mean that you have dementia or will develop dementia. However, those with MCI do have an increased risk of developing dementia: 38% of those with MCI go on to develop a type of dementia within the next 5 years(AA report 2018). Even more important to note, is that certain risk factors can increase your chance of going from MCI to dementia.
Find out more about Cognetivity’s ICA
A five-minute cognitive health check