Here are activities that benefit your brain health

Prolonged sitting has long been associated with negative effects on physical and mental health. But new research reveals a surprising twist: not all sitting activities are harmful to the brain. In fact, some may even offer cognitive benefits.

Scientists in the latest study examined the daily activity patterns of 397 adults over the age of 60 to understand how different types of activity affect memory and thinking skills. The findings, published in the Journal of Gerontology Series A, revealed that the impact of a sedentary lifestyle on brain health depends largely on the type of activity.

For example, mentally engaging activities such as reading, listening to music, doing crafts, praying, or talking to friends have been linked to improvements in memory and cognitive function. However, activities that did not require active participation, such as prolonged watching television or playing video games, were associated with poorer cognitive outcomes.

“We found that the type of activity significantly changes its impact on brain health. Social and mentally engaging activities stimulate the brain, while passive activities, such as excessive TV watching, may have harmful effects” – Dr. Maddison Mellow, principal investigator of the study he said.

To get the best results in all aspects of health, Mellow suggests that people should aim to be physically active, prioritize movement that feels good and increase their heart rate.

However, if your day involves a lot of sitting, you don’t have to worry. Small changes can still benefit your brain health. Replacing just five minutes of TV watching with a mentally stimulating activity, such as solving a puzzle, reading or talking on the phone with a friend, can make a significant difference to your brain health, suggests Dr. Mellow.

“And while the ‘move more, sit less’ message certainly applies to cardiometabolic and brain health, our research shows that a more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behavior and cognitive function,” says Dr. . Mellow said.

Previous research has shown that engaging in mentally stimulating leisure-time activities, such as reading and playing board games, can help older adults maintain cognitive sharpness. Article published in PMC journal indicates that people aged 75 and over who participate in such activities have a reduced risk of developing dementia compared to people who do not.