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Your sense of smell is not the same anymore -

Losing some of our sense of smell is natural as we grow older, but when it happens prematurely, it can be a sign of illness, including those that affect our brains.

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Your sense of smell is not the same anymore -

Viral infections, allergies, some medications, and even COVID-19 can lead to a diminished sense of smell. But so can Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, so it’s best to get it checked out by a doctor.

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You can’t quite taste foods as you used to -

Together with smell comes taste. If you find yourself constantly upping the salt or sugar on your food, then this may be a sign that you are somehow losing your taste. Again, this can be related to diseases that prematurely age the brain.

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You are walking slower than you used to -

Your gait can certainly give hints about your health. A study found that gait speed and memory loss are good indicators of future dementia.

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You are walking slower than you used to -

“How fast people are walking in midlife tells us a lot about how much their bodies and brains have aged over time," says Line Jee Hartmann Rasmussen, author of the study ‘Association of Neurocognitive and Physical Function With Gait Speed in Midlife.'

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You find it harder and take longer to learn new things -

It turns out that having learning difficulties due to cognitive decline is not as straightforward as we once thought. In fact, there is little evidence that older people’s memories are worse than those of younger people.

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You find it harder and take longer to learn new things -

Learning new things and remembering them may seem slightly harder because, in general, older people don’t use their capabilities as often in their daily lives. Still, if you really struggle with this, it might also be a sign of cognitive decline.

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Your memory is not the same -

Mild memory loss is to be expected as we age, but when you really start to forget things such as the month or season of the year, or start asking the same questions repeatedly during a conversation, or even getting lost in places you are familiar with, then there’s your red flag.

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Your memory is not the same -

If this happens to you, then it is time to seek professional help. This may be a sign of Alzheimer's disease.

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Your memory is not the same -

A word of caution with regards to memory-boosting supplements. No supplement has been proven to restore memory loss, and you might risk side effects and interactions with medicines you’re already taking. It’s always best to speak to your doctor before taking these.

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You’re depressed -

Depression is not directly associated with premature brain aging, but it might indeed be the case. In fact, a study found that the brains of those who suffered depression earlier in their lives age faster later in life.

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You’re depressed -

The symptoms of depression and dementia are similar, and it’s not always easy to determine which is which. Plus, depression on its own can contribute to cognitive decline.

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You get easily distracted -

As we age, our brains start to lose receptors and neurons, which can have an impact on focus and concentration. But it turns out we can train our brains to avoid distractions.

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You get easily distracted -

A study found that this had more to do with how older people processed information. Older people tend to process “task-relevant and task-irrelevant information, whereas younger people tend to ignore or discard the task-irrelevant information.”

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You struggle to find the right words -

Sure, we’ve all been there, but we’re not talking about the occasional time we couldn’t think of the right word. We're referring to really struggling to remember common words. This may in fact be a symptom of primary progressive aphasia (PPA).

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You struggle to find the right words -

PPA occurs when there is deterioration in the part of the brain responsible for controlling language and speech. PPA is also a symptom of Alzheimer's disease.

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You can’t hear as well as you used to -

Hearing loss is a common side effect of aging, but it may also be a red flag, as it puts you at higher risk of developing dementia.

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You can’t hear as well as you used to -

Even if you’re experiencing mild hearing loss, it’s always a good idea to seek help. The more serious it gets, the more strain it puts on your brain, to the expense of memory and thinking systems, which may then lead to premature brain atrophy and dementia.

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Your eyesight is not the same anymore -

Those with vision conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, among others, are at greater risk of developing dementia.

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Your eyesight is not the same anymore -

It’s best to keep on top of your vision, as any problems may lead to premature aging of the brain. "An eye exam is one of the few exams where, without doing blood tests, invasive imaging or surgery, we can actually look inside the body," says ophthalmologist Brian Stagg.

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You keep forgetting things -

There are many potential causes for forgetfulness, including sleep deprivation as well some medications and illnesses.

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You keep forgetting things -

Though it can also be a sign that your brain is aging faster than you are. If your forgetfulness is serious to the point of forgetting things such as taking medications or even eating or having a shower, then it’s time to talk to your doctor.

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Your capacity for multitasking has decreased -

Humans are amazing and indeed we can juggle a couple of things at the same time. As we age, we may start to experience some difficulty in switching from one task to the other and back.

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Your capacity for multitasking has decreased -

Though this may also be an early sign of dementia. Either way, it’s always best to monitor your capacity to multitask and seek help if you think things are getting harder for you.

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You have balance issues when you walk -

Wobbling a bit or shuffling your feet when you walk can be symptoms of an array of health issues, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s.

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You have balance issues when you walk -

Add weakness and pain to the mix, and you should definitely talk to your doctor about it. It might just be something as simple as a medication side effect, or it may indicate that indeed your brain is aging faster than you are.

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You keep losing stuff all the time -

Sure, we’ve all misplaced our keys or our phone, but if you keep losing stuff all the time and then finding them in bizarre places (e.g. keys in the fridge), then there might be something wrong.

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You struggle to follow conversations -

As we age and our brain shrinks, it’s natural to experience a decline in understanding and participating in conversations.

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You struggle to follow conversations -

But if you find yourself struggling to follow a conversation on a regular basis, it may be a sign of something more serious, such as Alzheimer's.

Sources: (Health Digest) (Health.com) (JAMA Network) (Mayo Clinic) (BBC) (Medical News Today) (Cambridge University Press) (CBC) (National Institute on Aging)

See also: Fun ways to keep your brain young and healthy

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