Does Sauna Bathing Lower Dementia Risk in Seniors?
Elder care should include more than just keeping seniors safe. You may also want to consider heat therapies that offer multiple health benefits for your aging loved one. For instance, sauna bathing has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia. Here are some of the ways this type of bathing can stave off this cognitive condition.
Increases Blood Flow
When the brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen, it becomes damaged, which has a negative effect on the ability to think and process information correctly. As a result, your loved one may find it difficult to recall old memories and remember new ones. With the help of sauna bathing, body temperature is regulated, allowing blood to flow through the body with greater ease, which prevents blockages and blood clots from building up. The thick oxygenated blood flows through the brain and helps your loved one retain memories.
Seniors who want to remain healthy as they age can benefit in a variety of ways when they receive professional at-home care. Dallas, TX, Home Care Assistance is here to help your loved one accomplish daily tasks, prevent illness, and focus on living a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Relieves Stress
Excessive stress and anxiety damages areas in the brain involved in emotional response, critical thinking, and memory. However, sauna bathing can relieve stress. The heat from the sauna relaxes the body and releases endorphins, which can make your loved one feel calm, help him or her retain memories, and stave off dementia.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of elderly care. Dallas families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia.
Promotes Good Sleeping Habits
When seniors sleep, their brains clear out toxins that can lead to memory loss. However, if your loved one doesn’t get enough sleep, the toxins may build up and damage his or her brain, increasing the risk of dementia. Sauna bathing increases the chance of getting a deeper and more relaxed night of sleep because it decreases body temperature, which makes the body more relaxed and tired. Lower body temperatures are important for entering the “deep sleep” phase when the brain removes dementia-causing toxins.
Burns Calories
Burning calories can help your loved one maintain a healthy weight, which prevents cholesterol and blood pressure levels from rising and causing blockages that stop oxygen from reaching the brain. Sauna bathing facilitates sweating, an important aspect of burning calories. In cold climates, sauna bathing is one of the most relaxing ways to lose weight, lower cholesterol levels, unclog arteries, increase blood and oxygen flow, and prevent dementia.
Sauna bathing is just one of many ways seniors can reduce their risk of dementia. Aging in place can present a few challenges for seniors living with dementia. However, they can still live independently at home with the help of professional dementia care. Dallas families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide their elderly loved ones with mental and social stimulation, timely medication reminders, assistance with meal prep, and much more. Our caregivers are available around the clock to help your loved one live a happier and healthier life. If your loved one needs professional care, Home Care Assistance is here to help. Call one of our dedicated Care Managers today at [hca_phone] to learn about the high quality of our in-home care services.