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Widespread pastime might reduce your risk of developing dementia by half.
It’s well known that spending too much time spent sitting on our backside can raise the risk of a multitude of diseases – from
diabetes
to dementia.
However, researchers have discovered that certain stationary activities might prove helpful in safeguarding the brain against declines associated with aging.
Scientists from the University of
South Australia
have created a ‘hierarchy’ of leisure activities done while seated, and they claim some have more beneficial impacts on the brain compared to detrimental ones.
At the top of the ‘beneficial list’ are activities said to be mentally or socially stimulating – like reading, listening to music, praying, crafting, playing a musical instrument, or chatting with others.
The scientists said these behaviours improved memory and thinking abilities, which helps protect against dementia in later life.
However, the activities most detrimental to the brain are watching television and playing video games.
Numerous studies have indicated that extended periods of TV viewing may be associated with decreased gray matter in the brain — an area vital for cognition, including processes like thought, logic, judgment, and many other essential mental activities.
Medical imaging reveals that individuals with lower amounts of gray matter in their brains tend to exhibit weaker cognitive abilities.
Specialists think this could be because of insufficient stimulation, leading to the loss of connections between brain cells.
In the recent study, scientists evaluated the full-day activity cycles of 397 individuals who are older than sixty years.
They proceeded to assess the participants’ cognitive skills through two written examinations commonly employed by specialists to identify indicators of dementia, or diminishing mental capacity.
In The Journals of Gerontology Series A, the researchers documented that individuals engaging in more mentally stimulating sedentary pursuits scored significantly higher on cognitive assessments.
“We already understand that engaging in physical activity significantly reduces the risk of dementia,” stated co-author Dr. Maddison Mellow.
This should definitely be at the top of your list when aiming to enhance your cognitive well-being.
‘However, up till now, we haven’t directly investigated if switching from one inactive activity to another can improve our brain health.’
We discovered that sedentary activities promoting mental stimulation or social interaction—like reading or chatting with friends—are advantageous for cognitive functions, whereas those such as television viewing or playing video games tend to have adverse effects.
‘Therefore, the nature of the activity is crucial.’
Although the idea of ‘moving more and sitting less’ is indeed important for cardiovascular and brain health, our study indicates that a more detailed strategy is necessary when addressing cognitive performance.
Doctor Mellow suggested that senior citizens should alternate between less active tasks and more stimulating ones, even if only for brief periods of five minutes each.
‘Tiny five-minute adjustments can make a difference,’ she explained. ‘Therefore, if you’re determined to watch movies all day, consider inserting moments of physical movement or engaging in mentally stimulating activities such as reading throughout your session.’
‘In this manner, you can gradually develop better habits.’
Polls have found that around half of Brits say they’re happy to watch back-to-back episodes of television shows for up to four hours.
The new study echoes previous findings about the risks of Netflix binges for brain health.
In 2019, British scientists released a study showing that viewing television
For more than three and a half hours each day, there is an association with decreased performance in word acquisition and memory retention tests.
The study initially assessed the daily average amount of TV watched by 3,590 individuals who were over the age of 50.
They subsequently grouped the study participants into five categories according to their level of TV viewing.
The researchers additionally conducted assessments to gauge verbal memory and cognitive abilities two times, with six years between each test.
They discovered that viewing television for over 3.5 hours daily correlates with decreased verbal memory.
Approximately 944,000 individuals in the UK suffer from dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most prevalent form.
In 2023, dementia topped the list as the leading cause of death in the UK, with 75,393 fatalities recorded last year. This marks an increase from the 74,261 deaths reported in 2022 and the 69,178 seen in 2021, based on data provided by Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Studies suggest that approximately fifty percent of all instances result from lifestyle elements including smoking, inadequate nutrition, excess weight, insufficient physical activity, and rare cognitive engagement.
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