Research Hit: When Being Sedentary Can Benefit Brain Health
A new review shows that some sedentary activities are good for mental and physical health, and others not.
I thought the general advice is that sedentary behaviour is bad for health in general so try to reduce it?
Yes, that is the standard advice and has been for decades: move more to improve health. And that includes any movement and doesn’t have to be intense exercise - there is also a benefit for light activity such as tidying up at home or pottering around the garden.
So what is this about sedentary activities being potentially good for you?
Well, it is more nuanced than just separating sitting versus activity according to a team of researchers out of Australia. The team of researchers analysed detailed movement patterns of older adults (60+) over two 24-hour time periods and complemented this with various cognitive and physiological assessments.
And what did they find?
Well, as I said it is more nuanced than just sitting or being active - though being active is important as just about all research supports. But it is the type of sedentary behaviour that is important and some sedentary behaviours can be beneficial.
Oh, what then?
Well, sitting and socialising, chatting to friends appears to be very beneficial as does sitting and reading. However, sitting and screen time whether on a smart device or watching television has negative correlations to multiple mental and physical health markers.
This would tie in to other research such as the social brain theory, right?
Yes, socialising is very important for mental health so chatting with friends would support this even with no activity. Taking a walk and chatting with friends would be even better! And reading, though sedentary, activates multiple brain processes.
The researchers note that up to 45% of dementia cases could be moderated with small lifestyle changes.
That’s a lot! But how?
Obviously, by engaging in more socialising and reading, but it could also mean actively changing habits or sedentary activities a little such as taking a break in between TV programmes or making watching TV more a social process with friends and family.
Well, we’re heading towards Christmas with plenty of eating and drinking and watching films, for many at least…
Yes, and this shows that the socialising aspect is fine, nay good for your brains and health, but too much mindless sedentary time is bad. So here’s hoping you get a book for Christmas, but simply make sure you do socialise and break up any binge viewing you have with light activity and/or socialising.
That actually sounds like more fun!
Indeed, it is more fun, as well as being better for brain and body!
And I presume this is not just for old people?
No, this would apply to everyone of any age. Keep you brain you brain and body active at any age.
Maddison L Mellow, Dorothea Dumuid, Alexandra Wade, et al.
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, Volume 79, Issue 11, November 2024, glae233
https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glae233