Avoid These Triggers That Can Make Mild Cognitive Impairment Worse

New environments, crowded places, sleep apnea, untreated hearing and vision loss, and social isolation can also speed up changes in memory and thinking, says Manisha Parulekar, MD, the chief of geriatrics and a codirector of the Center for Memory Loss and Brain Health at Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.

Below, learn the most common triggers for worsening mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and how you can avoid them.

Lack of Sleep

“Sleep disruption can affect mood, focus, and memory, which already can undergo changes in early Alzheimer’s, leading to irritability, paranoia, anxiety, and confusion,” says Dr. Parulekar.

Dehydration

Low water intake also prevents your brain from clearing out toxic proteins, which affect cognitive health when they pile up, says Parulekar.

“For people with dementia, whose brains are already dealing with damaged neural pathways and reduced cognitive reserve, even mild dehydration can tip the balance from coping to struggling,” says Etienne.

Alcohol

“Alcohol also can have a harmful impact on the chemical messengers in your brain, affecting your mood, behavior, and coordination,” says Parulekar. It also causes swelling and stress in the brain, which can lead to the death of brain cells, Parulekar says.

Smoking

• Promoting damaging protein buildup in your brain
• Causing inflammation
• Damaging or destroying brain cells

It also makes tiny blood vessels in your brain stiffer, which slows down blood flow and prevents enough oxygen from getting to brain cells, says Parulekar. “Smoking also increases the risk of other conditions that can lead to dementia, such as strokes and high blood pressure,” says Parulekar.

Stress

“The hippocampus — the brain's memory hub and one of the first structures damaged in Alzheimer's — is especially vulnerable,” says Etienne. High cortisol can be toxic to your hippocampus, causing cell damage and harmful protein buildup, he says.

Stress can also disrupt how your brain communicates, says Parulekar. “These disruptions can lead to changes in mood and behavior, such as aggression. This added stress can, in turn, make the disease's symptoms worse and speed up its progression.”

Overstimulating Environments

“The brain's ability to filter out irrelevant or redundant sound information in order to focus on important information may be impaired in individuals with Alzheimer's,” says Etienne. “For someone with dementia, this could mean that everyday noises, lights, or even textures become overwhelming; causing confusion, anxiety, and agitation that make daily tasks more challenging.”

This can be related to the level of sensory experiences you have over a busy day, says Parulekar. “As the day progresses, the brain becomes increasingly fatigued and less able to cope with environmental stressors.”

Urinary Tract Infections

How to Avoid Triggers

Once you know your triggers, you can take steps to avoid them. Parulekar recommends having a daily schedule, including a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. Parulekar and Etienne also suggest these tips:

• Avoid alcohol and smoking.
• Get some sunlight during the day.
• Take part in activities, such as walking or going to a park with a caregiver.
• Aim for seven to eight hours of consistent, uninterrupted sleep every night.
• Add water-rich foods to your diet, like melon, oranges, berries, and tomatoes.
• Set reminders to drink water in the morning, with each meal, and in the midafternoon.
• De-stress with mindfulness practices like meditation and deep breathing.
• Carry earplugs or noise-reducing earbuds for loud environments.
• Schedule quiet recovery time after an outing or event.

When to Get Help

“Sudden or rapid worsening of memory, increased confusion at night, hallucinations, or personality/behavioral changes should prompt medical attention,” says Etienne.