Visit a friend and reduce your risk of dementia

Get out and meet people—it can help ward off dementia and could add three years to your life.

People who socialise—such as visiting friends, going to church or being part of a social group—are 38 percent less likely to develop dementia, and they reduce their risk of mild cognitive decline by 21 percent.

Every five-year delay in developing dementia adds around three years to your life, say researchers from Rush University Medical Centre.

They tracked the health of 1,923 people with an average age of 80 who were not suffering from dementia or cognitive decline at the start of the study, but over the following five years 545 went on to develop dementia and 695 suffered cognitive problems.

Those who were the most socially active were the least likely to suffer either condition, the researchers found.  Social activities that were measured included dining out, going to sports events, playing bingo, taking trips away, visiting friends or doing volunteer work.

The researchers aren’t sure why social activity keeps us mentally sharp, but suspect it involves complex interpersonal exchanges that strengthen neural circuits in the brain.

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