Women Fitness<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nStudies have proven just how beneficial physical exercise is when it comes to reducing the risk of Alzheimer\u2019s. Researchers have found that individuals that engage in at least 6 to 12 months of exercise actually did better on cognitive tests than those that were sedentary. Rudolph Tanzi, Ph.D., a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and co-author of\u00a0The Healing Self: A Revolutionary New Plan to Supercharge Your Immune System and Stay Well for Life<\/em>, cites \u201cExercise has been shown to reduce the amyloid plaque in the brain that causes Alzheimer\u2019s, to induce the birth of a new nerve cells in the hippocampus [the area of the brain where memories are stored], and to help clear inflammation, so when those new cells are born they have a nice neighborhood to grow up in.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSo why yoga? That\u2019s because it can work for all age groups, it can be done both indoors and outdoors, and it can be even done while sitting in a chair \u2013 which is a wonderful benefit for those that are mobility impaired.\u00a0 Professor of psychiatry at UCLA, Dr. Helen Lavretsky explains, \u201cYoga involves awareness of your movement and breath, posture, and focused attention on a mantra, a pose, or a visualization. If it\u2019s done in a group setting, there is also a social element. There are many components to the exercise that involve different brain centers.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A series of studies conducted by Dr. Lavretsky have shown that people with cognitive impairment that do yoga end up with strengthened and improved cognition, mood and memory. But while yoga offers a lot of cognitive improvements, it\u2019s important to start early before the late stage of dementia has started to set in. Dr. Lavretsky explains, \u201cBut in the advanced stages of dementia, it may be better to introduce something the patient is already familiar with, like dancing to the music of their youth.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Use Meditation to for Stress Reduction<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\nNDTV<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSome patients with Alzheimer\u2019s prefer to try meditation rather than yoga, as they tend to be intimidated by the idea of all the poses needed to practice yoga. There are also a bunch of benefits that a patient can get from doing as little as 12 minutes of meditation per day, like improved brain function, memory and sleep.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Meditation is a practice that helps calm the mind and body, and most importantly supports finding inner peace, and it\u2019s been practiced for thousands of years too. It also aids in stress relief, which is considered highly important to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer\u2019s. Medical director of the Alzheimer\u2019s Research and Prevention Foundation, Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., shares, \u201cBoth acute and chronic stress signal the brain to secrete the hormone cortisol, which is highly toxic to just about every system the body, but especially the brain.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Dr. Khalsa, Dr. Lavretsky and their colleagues have published a number of studies that discuss the effects of meditation on dementia. Dr. Khalsa adds, \u201cIt causes brain-cell death in the hippocampus and can lead to earlier amyloid deposition. It can also lead to decreased blood flow, and decreased function in the synapses where the brain cells talk to each other.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Sadly, those that are under chronic stress are at higher risk of getting Alzheimer\u2019s. And studies also show that different types of meditation result in different benefits, depending on which part of the brain is being engaged. Again, a number of studies were conducted, with one in particular showing remarkable changes in otherwise healthy women who engaged in meditation for just one week. Dr. Tanzi iterates, \u201cAfter a week of learning meditation and doing it several times per day, there were changes in the genes involved with how brain clears out Alzheimer\u2019s-associated amyloid from the brain out of the body.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Although Dr. Caccappolo explains that these smaller studies don\u2019t have exact evidence of the brain recovering tissue lost through Alzheimer\u2019s. Yet she still shares that any type of stress-relief is worth trying. \u201cStress can make anything worse, especially memory. The best thing about meditation is that it doesn\u2019t cost anything, and if it can help relieve any symptoms, I encourage patients to try it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Use Music to Life Your Mood<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\nSmush<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMeditation and yoga have proven to be effective for those in the earlier stages of Alzheimer\u2019s while music therapy is known to be effective for those suffering from the latest stages of the disease.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
One of the first ways that music can help is that it stimulates emotions and memories. Try to think of a song from your childhood and take note of all the memories that are stirred up from what you hear. Dr. Caccappolo explains that particular music that happens to be meaningful to someone manages to activate regions in the brain that tend to be the last affected by Alzheimer\u2019s. Shared by music therapist Concetta A. Tomaino, \u201cThe emotional associations with that music from your past releases chemicals in their brain to boost mood.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
But more than nostalgia, Tomaino reiterates, \u201cThere are several levels at which music is effective. We know the act of playing music or singing forces the frontal cortex to be engaged, and that part of the brain is crucial for short-term memory, so engaging in active music-making actually reinforces short-term memory and long-term memory storage.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Meanwhile, a 2014 review in the\u00a0Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing<\/em>, has found that music therapy works to reduce depression, anxiety and agitated behavior in those suffering from dementia as well as improving other forms of therapy as well.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAlso, a study done at Boston University School of Medicine conducted back in 2010 revealed that patients\u00a0\u00a0with Alzheimer\u2019s actually remember new information when it\u2019s in the context of music. Tomaino clarifies, \u201cI often make up a little melody to help patients remember their children\u2019s names or their address,\u201d which is why TV commercials have the same effect on viewers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Tomaino adds, \u201cThe act of singing words actually primes the verbal areas in their brain to be more active, and word retrieval improves after they sing. It\u2019s almost like you have to turn on those neuronal networks into action.\u201d And that\u2019s not all, music is also known to support balance and movement.\u00a0 \u201cThe rhythm of music can improve a person\u2019s motivation to move and also improves coordination of movement. Listening to music while you\u2019re walking can improve balance, posture, and gait coordination on a neuronal level,\u201d says Tomaino.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
All three forms of alternative therapies \u2013 yoga, meditation and music \u2013 have all proven to give a sense of joy and peace to patients that feel lost, confused and depressed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The Vice President of research and health care innovation for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington, Eric B. Larson, M.D. says, \u201cThere is no magic bullet that can prevent Alzheimer\u2019s, though the closest thing is regular exercise, which can lower the risk and delay decline. For things like yoga and music, the evidence has been soft. But when people ask, should I try it? I tell them, it\u2019s not going to hurt you, and the drugs can be harmful to some people. It makes a lot of sense.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
If you or someone you know is at risk for dementia or Alzheimer\u2019s disease, be sure to discuss the possibility of adding alternative forms of therapy to your regimen in order to help with your current medical state.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
More and more people that suffer from dementia, and moreover Alzheimer\u2019s Disease, have been turning to different types of treatments that involve music, yoga and meditation. Alzheimer\u2019s and other related dementia disorders affect over\u00a050 million Americans, a number that has increased over the past few years alone. From that number, statistics also show that at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1328,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[294,297,298,295,296],"yoast_head":"\n
Healing Power of Music, Meditation, and Yoga in Alzheimer\u2019s Patients<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n