4 Activities To Boost Brain Health While Sitting Down
TODAY.com • • health
Key Points:
- A study of over 20,000 Swedish adults found that engaging in mentally active behaviors while sedentary reduces dementia risk, with one hour of mentally active behavior lowering risk by 4%, and replacing an hour of passive behavior with active behavior reducing it by 7%.
- Mentally active activities include office work, knitting, sewing, and puzzles, whereas watching TV and listening to music are considered mentally passive.
- Prolonged sedentary behavior combined with mental passivity is linked to a significantly higher risk of developing dementia, as the brain requires stimulation to maintain memory and learning functions.
- The study suggests that keeping the mind engaged during sedentary periods can help protect brain health, although it does not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between sedentary behavior and dementia.
- Relaxing activities that stimulate the brain, such as reading, puzzles, and knitting, can be done while sitting and are associated with better cognitive health, offering a practical way to reduce dementia risk.
