If you smoke, quitting is probably the most important step you can take to protect both your heart and your brain. As well as being linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and cancer, there’s evidence that smoking increases your risk of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
We’re learning more all the time about the science behind this. For example, one study has shown that compared to non-smokers, smokers lose more brain cells in some areas of the brain as they get older. This can lead to an increased risk of dementia.
Smoking has also been shown to thicken artery walls and narrow the blood supply around the body. This increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are both risk factors for vascular dementia.
It’s never too late to quit, as doing so – even in later-life – can reduce your risk significantly. Research in the UK showed that quitting at the age of 50 could lead to an extra six years of life expectancy.
The NHS offers lots of resources to help, and it won’t take long to notice the benefits. All of the harmful carbon monoxide will be flushed out of your body just 48 hours after your last cigarette and your circulation will improve in weeks.
Find out more about the link between smoking and dementia risk.