It’s that season when many of us can relax and enjoy some much-needed time off. However, whether you opt for the TV remote or a favourite book, your choice may impact your long-term cognitive health, according to researchers from the University of South Australia.
Examining the daily activity patterns of 397 older adults (aged 60+), researchers discovered that the nature or type of activity you partake in matters when it comes to brain health. Specifically, some forms of sedentary behavior are more advantageous for cognitive function than others.
When evaluating various sedentary activities, they found that engaging in social or mentally stimulating tasks such as reading, listening to music, praying, crafting, playing a musical instrument, or conversing with others positively influences memory and cognitive abilities. In contrast, watching TV or playing video games can have negative effects.
Researchers propose that there is probably a hierarchy among sedentary behaviors in terms of their relationship with cognitive function, where some yield beneficial outcomes while others are harmful. This understanding could be instrumental in mitigating the risks of cognitive decline, especially considering that at least 45% of dementia cases might be preventable through lifestyle changes.
In Australia, around 411,100 individuals, or one in every 1000, are living with dementia, predominantly women. On a global scale, the World Health Organization estimates that more than 55 million people are affected, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed each year.
Dr. Maddison Mellow, a researcher at UniSA, stresses that not all sedentary activities impact memory and cognitive abilities equally. Choosing wisely can lead to better brain health, especially in our later years.
“In this research, we found that the context of an activity alters how it relates to cognitive function, with different activities providing varying levels of cognitive stimulation and social engagement,” Dr Mellow says.
“We already know that physical activity is a strong protector against dementia risk, and this should certainly be prioritized if you are trying to improve your brain health. But until now, we haven’t directly explored whether we can benefit our brain health by swapping one sedentary behavior for another.
“We found that sedentary behaviors that promote mental stimulation or social engagement – such as reading or talking with friends – are beneficial for cognitive function, whereas others, like watching TV or gaming, have a negative effect. So, the type of activity is important.
“And, while the ‘move more, sit less’ message certainly holds true for cardiometabolic and brain health, our research shows that a more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behaviors and cognitive function.”
With the Christmas season approaching, what insights do experts offer to those eager to enjoy a wide selection of Christmas films or binge-watch Modern Family?
“To achieve the best brain health and physical health benefits, you should prioritize movement that’s enjoyable and gets the heart rate up, as this has benefits for all aspects of health,” Dr. Mellow says.
“But even small five-minute time swaps can have benefits. So, if you’re dead set on having a Christmas movie marathon, try to break up that time with some physical activity or a more cognitively engaged seated activity, like reading, at some point. That way, you can slowly build up healthier habits.”
Journal reference:
- Maddison L Mellow, Dorothea Dumuid, Alexandra Wade, Timothy Olds, Ty Stanford, Hannah Keage, Montana Hunter, Nicholas Ware, Felicity M Simpson, Frini Karayanidis, Ashleigh E Smith. Should We Work Smarter or Harder for Our Health? A Comparison of Intensity and Domain-Based Time-Use Compositions and Their Associations With Cognitive and Cardiometabolic Health. The Journals of Gerontology Series A, 2024; DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glae233
