sitting too much Some sedentary activities are not good for a person’s physical or mental health. shrink our brains Or it can impair our cognitive abilities to the same extent.
A systematic review of 85 studies found good reason to distinguish between “active” sitting, such as playing cards or reading, and “passive” sitting, such as watching TV.
The former may actually boost brain health.
This is probably because actively sitting activates your brain, while passively sitting puts you off both physically and cognitively.
Related: Scientists have revealed how much exercise you need to ‘offset’ sitting all day
“Although total sitting time has been shown to be related to brain health, sitting is often treated as a single thing, without specific types of activity being considered.” explain Paul Gardiner, a public health researcher at the University of Queensland in Australia, said:
“Most people spend hours sitting every day, so the way you sit is very important. These findings show that small everyday choices, like reading instead of watching TV, can help keep your brain healthy as you get older.”
clearly, Exercise is still very important While it’s good for cognitive health, it’s also important to exercise your brain, and that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to keep standing.
Across numerous studies, Gardiner and colleagues found that sedentary activities such as reading, playing card games, and using computers are “overwhelmingly positively associated with cognitive health and strengthen cognitive functions such as executive function, situational memory, and working memory.”
Passive sitting, on the other hand, was most consistently associated with negative cognitive outcomes, such as poorer cognitive function. Dementia risk.
The effect size was small but significant. The study authors hope their results will inform future health research and more nuanced health guidance.
For example, researchers suggest that guidelines should recognize the difference between passively watching television and actively using a computer, and encourage people to: short break Stimulate your brain and move your body.
Their review focused on studying typical sedentary activities in natural settings, rather than structured programs designed to increase brain function and be relevant to people’s daily lives.
“Health advice could change from simply ‘sit less’ to encouraging more mentally engaging activities while sitting.” claim Gardiner.
“This could help people make simple, practical changes that may support long-term brain health and reduce the risk of dementia.”
This study alzheimer’s disease journal.