Stress from flooding so nice it could improve danger of dementia, researchers warn

More than five million homes across the UK are at risk of flooding – but it seems insurance bills aren’t the only thing homeowners should be worried about.

Scientists say the stress of seeing your home flooded can be so great it may actually increase your risk of getting dementia.

People whose properties have flooded have a 65 per cent higher risk of developing the disease in the next 12 months, a study in the journal Nature Communications Medicine has found.

The team of researchers, which included scientists from Edinburgh University, looked at the health records of nearly 500,000 men and women aged 37 to 73 in the UK over a 20-year period. 

They then looked at weather and flooding data and matched these with the participants’ addresses.

Flooding in Loughborough, Leicestershire on January 7. The stress of having your home flooded can be so severe that it can make you more likely to get dementia, a new study has found

Research found that those who experienced flooding were 44 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease (file photo)

They found that those who had experienced flooding were 44 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and 65 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with vascular dementia.

The researchers said flooding could cause mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, which could contribute to mental decline.

They added: ‘Our findings highlight the need for better public health strategies to protect people in flood-prone areas.’