The probability that all American has dementia During their life can be much bigger than what thought before. For example, a study in 2025 which followed a large sample of American adults over three decades revealed that their average probability of developing dementia between 55 and 95 years was 42%, and this figure was even higher in women, black adults and those who presented a genetic risk.
Now, great attention is paid to the way of avoiding cognitive decline in the aging American population. But what often lacks this conversation is the role that chronic stress Can play in the way people age from a cognitive point of view, as well as on the risk of dementia of each.
We are teachers at Penn State at the Center for Healthy AGING, with expertise in health psychology and neuropsychology. We study the ways through which chronic psychological stress influences the risk of dementia and how it influences the ability to remain healthy as people age.
Recent research shows that Americans who are currently of average or older age report more frequent stressful events than previous generations. A key engine behind this increase seems to be an increase in economic insecurity and employment, in particular following 2007-2009 Great recession And ongoing changes on the job market. Many people remain on the job market longer due to a financial necessity, as Americans live longer and face greater challenges covering basic expenditure later in life.
Therefore, it may be more important than ever to understand the ways in which stress influences cognitive aging.
Social isolation and stress
Although everyone experiences some stress in daily life, some people experience more intense, persistent or prolonged stress. It is this relatively chronic stress that is most systematically linked to good health.
In a recent review document, our team has summarized how chronic stress is a hidden but powerful factor underlying cognitive aging, or the speed at which your cognitive performance slows down with age.
It is difficult to overestimate the impact of stress on your cognitive health as you age. This is partly due to the fact that your psychological, behavioral and biological responses to daily stressful events are closely linked, and everyone can amplify and interact with the other.
For example, living alone can be stressful – especially for the elderly – and being isolated makes it more difficult to experience a healthy lifestyle, as well as to detect and get help for signs of cognitive decline.
In addition, stressful experiences – and your reactions to them – can make it more difficult to sleep well and get involved in other healthy behaviors, such as doing enough exercise and maintaining a healthy diet.
In turn, insufficient sleep and a lack of physical activity can make it more difficult to deal with stressful experiences.
Stress is often absent from dementia prevention efforts
A set of robust research highlights the importance of at least 14 different factors linked to your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a common and devastating form of dementia and other forms of dementia.
Although some of these factors can be out of control, such as diabetes or depression, many of these factors involve things that people do, such as physical activity, healthy food and social commitment.
What is less well recognized is that chronic stress is intimately linked to all these factors related to the risk of dementia. Our work and our research by others that we have examined in our recent article demonstrate that chronic stress can affect the function of the brain and physiology, influence mood and make health habits more difficult. However, dementia prevention efforts rarely deal with stress.
Avoiding stressful events and difficult life circumstances is generally not an option.
Where and how you live and work play a major role in the amount of stress you feel. For example, people with lower income, less education or those who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods are often faced with more frequent stress and have fewer support forms, such as neighboring clinics, access to healthy foods, reliable transport or safe places to exercise or socialize – to help them manage the challenges of aging. As recent work on brain health in rural communities and badly served communities shows, these conditions can shape if people have the opportunity to stay healthy as they age.
Over time, the effects of stress tend to accumulate, carry body systems and shape long -term emotional and social habits.
Lifestyle changes to manage stress and reduce the risk of dementia
The good news is that there are several things that can be done to slow down or prevent dementia, and our examination suggests that these can be improved if the role of stress is better understood.
Whether you are young, living environment or older, it is not too early or too late to deal with the implications of stress on brain health and aging. Here are some ways to take direct measures to help manage your stress level:
- Follow lifestyle behavior that can improve healthy aging. These include following a healthy diet, getting involved in physical activity and sleeping enough. Even small changes in these areas can make a big difference.
- Progress your mental health and well-being as you can. Things as simple as talking about your concerns, asking for the support of friends and family and going out regularly can be extremely precious.
- If your doctor says you or someone you care should be careful with a new health care plan or suggests that there are signs of cognitive impairment, ask him what support or advice to manage related stress.
- If you or a loved one you feel socially isolated, consider how small changes could make a difference. For example, research suggests that adding a single additional interaction per day – even if it is an SMS or a brief telephone call – can be useful, and that even interactions with people you do not know well, as in a doctor or a doctor’s office, can have significant advantages.
Neighborhoods accessible on foot, learning throughout life
A 2025 study has identified stress as one of the 17 overlapping factors that affect the chances of developing brain disease, including stroke, late depression and dementia. This work suggests that solving stress and overlapping problems, such as loneliness, can also have additional health benefits.
However, all individuals or families cannot make great changes by themselves. Research suggests that interventions at community level and at work can reduce the risk of dementia. For example, safe and accessible districts on foot and social connection and learning opportunities throughout life – as through courses and community events – have the potential to reduce stress and promote brain health.
Above all, the researchers estimated that even a modest delay in the start of Alzheimer’s disease would save hundreds of thousands of dollars for each affected American. Thus, providing incentives to companies that offer stress management resources could ultimately save money and help people age healthier.
In addition, stress related to stigma concerning mental health and aging can discourage people from asking for support that would benefit them. Even thinking about your risk of dementia can be stressful in itself. Things can also be done about it. For example, the normalization of the use of hearing aids and the integration of perceived memory reports and mental health problems in routine and well-being in workplace programs could encourage people to engage with preventive services earlier.
Although research on potential biomedical treatments is underway and important, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, if the interventions to reduce stress have priority in dementia prevention guidelines, the advantages could be of great range, resulting in both the start of delayed disease and a better quality of life for millions of people.
Jennifer E. Graham-Egeland is a biobehavioral health teacher at Penn State. Martin J. Sliwinski is a professor of human development and family studies in Penn State.
This article is republished from the conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read it original article.