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An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows A woman in glasses lies on a sofa with popcorn and a remote control, looking bored while watching TV, Image 2 shows An elderly man touches his head in frustration while pointing at a wall calendar, possibly indicating memory loss or cognitive impairment<\/p>\n
Couch potatoes, rejoice: lounging around might not be so bad \u2014 at least for your brain.<\/p>\n
While exercise<\/a> is known to help lower dementia risk, new research<\/a> suggests that even a small change in how you spend your time sitting could also make a difference.<\/p>\n That\u2019s welcome news for Americans, who spend an average of 9.5 hours a day<\/a> glued to their seats, whether at work or relaxing at home.<\/p>\n Spending too much time sitting mindlessly may increase your risk of developing dementia, new research suggests. stokkete \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n \u201cSedentary behavior is common, but fortunately, it can also be modified,\u201d Mats Hallgren<\/a>, lead author of the study and senior researcher at the Karolinska Institute<\/a> in Sweden, said in a press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOur study shows that not all sitting<\/a> is the same \u2014 how we use our brains while sitting may be an important factor for future cognitive and mental health,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n To dig deeper into how our sedentary habits influence cognition, Hallgren and his colleagues followed 20,811 Swedes aged 35 to 64 over nearly two decades.<\/p>\n At the start, the participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their daily habits, including how much time they spent on passive activities, like watching TV<\/a> or listening to music, versus mentally active ones, such as office work, knitting, playing cards<\/a> or other brain-engaging tasks.<\/p>\n On average, they reported 116.3 minutes per day of passive sitting and 239.9 minutes per day of mentally active sitting.<\/p>\n Fast forward 19 years, and the researchers checked Sweden\u2019s national health records to see who developed dementia, a syndrome marked by gradual declines in memory, thinking and communication skills that interfere with daily life.<\/p>\n Common symptoms of dementia include memory loss, confusion, personality changes and difficulty with daily tasks. LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n During that time, 569 participants were diagnosed, and the findings suggested that how they spent their sitting time could have played a role.<\/p>\n The researchers found that each extra hour per day of mentally active sitting was linked to a 4% lower risk of dementia. Even better, swapping one hour of passive sitting for an hour of mentally active sitting cut dementia risk by 7%.<\/p>\n \u201cWe found that longer periods of mentally passive sedentary behavior were associated with a higher risk of dementia,\u201d Hallgren explained.\u00a0\u2018When passive sitting was instead replaced with mentally active activities, the risk decreased.\u201d<\/p>\n Interestingly, the benefits of mentally active sitting were stronger for participants aged 50 to 64 than for those in their late 30s and 40s, suggesting older adults might get more brain protection from keeping their minds busy while taking some physical downtime.<\/p>\n The researchers suspect something called cognitive reserve could be at play.<\/p>\n Cognitive reserve acts like a mental safety net, helping your brain improvise and find new ways to get things done, keeping you sharp even as aging, disease or injury take their toll.<\/p>\n The study authors suggest that mentally active work in midlife may build this reserve, with its protective effects only showing up later in life.<\/p>\n Imaging studies back this up, showing real changes in both the structure and function of adults\u2019 brains who stay mentally active through work, social activities and other intellectual pursuits.<\/p>\n The researchers also theorized that older adults might get an extra brain boost from how they spend their sitting time \u2014 engaging in cognitively stimulating leisure activities like reading<\/a>, writing or doing puzzles \u2014 while younger adults, often stuck sitting at work, may get mental stimulation but also higher levels of stress<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile all sitting involves minimal energy expenditure, it may be differentiated by the level of brain activity,\u201d Hallgren said.<\/p>\n \u201cHow we use our brains while we are sitting appears to be a crucial determinant of future cognitive functioning and, as we have shown, may predict dementia onset.\u201d<\/p>\n The study found that engaging in mentally stimulating activities while sitting, like knitting, may help protect against dementia. puhimec \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n But the study had its limits.<\/p>\n For one, participants reported their habits back in 1997, long before smartphones, social media and endless streaming took over. Their routines also likely changed over the 19-year follow-up, something the data didn\u2019t capture.<\/p>\n Still, Hallgren said the findings are worth paying attention to, especially in today\u2019s sedentary world. Across the US, only 1 in 4 adults<\/a> and 1 in 5 adolescents meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities \u2014 meaning most people are logging way too many hours in their chairs.<\/p>\n \u201cOur study adds the observation that not all sedentary behaviors are equivalent; some may increase the risk of dementia, while others may be protective,\u201d Hallgren said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is important to remain physically active as we age, but also mentally active-especially when we are sitting.\u201d<\/p>\n After all, if a small tweak while sitting could help fend off dementia, it might be worth swapping a little couch time for some brain-boosting activity.<\/p>\n Across the country, about one in 10 older adults<\/a> are living with dementia, the most common form being Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Spending](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/972f9b9bb6db10efa3ac9032f12c1cb4.jpeg\"\/)
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