Massage therapy and other bodywork techniques have been shown to reduce stress. New research shows elevated stress levels raise the risk of memory loss and cognitive decline among older people with diabetes.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied more than 900 men and women aged between 60 and 75 with type-2 diabetes, which tends to be common after the age of 40.
They found that brain function slowed in participants with higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, according to a university press release.
Dr Rebecca Reynolds, of the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Cardiovascular Science, said: “We know that type-2 diabetes is linked to problems with memory, but the reason behind this is unclear.
“This study shows that older people with diabetes who have higher levels of stress hormones in their blood are more likely to have experienced cognitive decline. It may be that by regulating cortisol levels, we could help improve cognitive decline in patients with type-2 diabetes.”
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