Did you know that toxic work culture and the need to constantly be working can lead to memory loss or Alzheimer’s? Here’s the connection you need to know.
Alzheimer’s disease is the gradual deterioration of brain health leading to impaired memory and cognition. It is the degeneration of brain cells that leads to poor mental functioning and brain cells can eventually die. While this is common in older people, contemporary lifestyle can also put you at risk. In India alone, an estimated 5 million people are currently living with dementia, and Alzheimer’s accounts for 60-70 percent of these cases. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s all about the hustle and bustle. Everyone seems to be working all the time. This leads to increased stress, anxiety, fear of failure, and high expectations, particularly in the workplace. This is often labeled as the “hustle culture.” And this combined with lack of exercise and poor diet can act as a perfect mix to lead to Alzheimer’s disease.
To what extent can extreme stress and office pressure cause Alzheimer’s?
Experts weigh in on how this work culture and poor stress management can put health at risk at multiple levels. “Continuous stress, anxiety and fear of not achieving goals and expectations have forced people to unhealthily increase the number of working hours, reduce sleep and adopt a lifestyle with minimal physical activity and unhealthy eating habits. All these factors contribute to increased deposition of abnormal proteins and degradation of the brain,” Dr Ishu Goyal, Associate Consultant Neurologist, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, told IANS.
While these abnormal proteins are cleared from the brain during sleep, thanks to antioxidants obtained through a balanced diet, the hustle culture rarely allows for adequate sleep and nutrition. “People who are predisposed to developing dementia due to genetic mutations may face cognitive problems early in their life if they adapt to this hustle culture, giving less emphasis to their physical and mental health,” Goyal said.
Regular breaks between work, relaxation therapies, proper diet and sleep along with frequent rejuvenation therapies are advised to help maintain proper biochemical balance in the brain and prevent the precipitation of Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr Praveen Gupta, Senior Director and Head of Neurology, Fortis Hospital, said, “Alzheimer’s is not just about memory loss. Alzheimer’s is a comprehensive deterioration of brain function that affects thinking, reasoning, behaviour and emotions. It is a progressive and irreversible disease,” Gupta told IANS. The need to take proactive measures to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s is urgent.
Dr Hema Krishna P, a specialist in neurology and movement disorders at Aster CMI Hospital in Bangalore, recommended regular exercise, a balanced and nutritious diet and engaging in cognitive activities that stimulate the brain. She told IANS that managing cardiovascular health by controlling blood pressure, cholesterol levels and diabetes can significantly help prevent the onset of this neurodegenerative disease.
A healthy lifestyle is the key to everything. A proper diet, exercise routine, and proper sleep cycle can help manage stress better. And this will have a healthy ripple effect not only on brain health, but also on overall physical and mental health.
