How do you spend your downtime?
According to a new study, what you do when you have nothing to do could seriously impact your brain health.
Researchers at the University of South Australia examined the activity patterns of nearly 400 individuals aged 60 and older over 24 hours.
The study highlights the context and type of activities individuals engage in play a crucial role in maintaining brain health. It found that not all sedentary behaviors affect cognitive function in the same way; some activities are more beneficial than others. The findings were published in The Journal of Gerontology Series A.
Passive activities like video games and TV don't provide the same benefits as reading and praying, the researchers noted.
They found that engaging in mentally stimulating activities like reading, listening to music, praying, crafting, and playing a musical instrument can enhance memory and cognitive abilities.
Dr. Maddison Mellow, researcher at the University of South Australia, said,
"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."
She said scientists "already know that physical activity is a strong protector against dementia risk, and this should be prioritized if you're trying to improve your brain health," as news agency SWNS reported.
"But until now, we hadn't directly explored whether we can benefit our brain health by swapping one sedentary activity for another."
She went on to say, "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."
She added that it's wise to "prioritize movement that's enjoyable and gets the heart rate up."
And "even small, 5-minute time swaps can help."
A recent study by the RAND Corporation in California identified several key predictors that occur around age 60, which are likely to lead to cognitive impairment and dementia by age 80.
The study results suggested that "maintaining good physical and mental health is beneficial not just to staying in shape, but also to staying sharp and delaying cognitive decline."
Researchers evaluated 181 risk factors, including demographics, socioeconomic status, psychosocial factors, and health behaviors, among others.
According to RAND, the list of predictors included "never exercising" and "low engagement in hobbies." That's where reading, praying, crafting, and other physical and sedentary activities come into play.
These findings are of the utmost importance because more than 55 million people around the globe have dementia, according to estimates from the World Health Organization. Another 10 million new cases are diagnosed each year.
No matter how old you are, it's never too late to start making steps toward a healthier future. Read for 10 minutes before turning on the TV. Go for a walk before you allow yourself another episode. Small changes compound over time for enormous results!
Sources:
https://www.unisa.edu.au/media-centre/Releases/2024/ditch-tv-and-read-a-book/
https://www.foxnews.com/health/dementia-report-reveals-shocking-signs-age-60-develop-disease-age-80
https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3207-1.html
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia
