A newly published report found that adults who are under considerable stress have a much higher risk factor of contracting Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Researchers believe that because one of the symptoms of chronic untreated stress is mild cognitive impairment, patients with that disorder have a much greater chance of falling into the persistent demented state that characterizes Alzheimer’s. While there is still no one way to prevent against the development of the debilitating cognitive malady, the finding that lowering one stress level to delay the onset of the disease is meaningful.

For most people, stress is unavoidable. We all have to work jobs, even jobs we love, that cause us to experience a certain amount of stress. And we all have interpersonal relationships that, while rewarding in many ways, can also be very stressful. Making it a point to relieve stress by doing things like running, meditating or getting regular massages play as big a role in maintaining good health as regularly washing our hands and getting it hours sleep a night. In fact, as massage can trigger the release of stress fighting hormones in addition to relaxing tense muscles and fascia, spending 30 minutes a day in a massage chair might play a big role in ensuring our quality of life down the line.

Read the full article here: Stress appears to contribute to Alzheimer’s