Spend your Winter Leisure Time Reading or Watching TV?

What’s New in Psychology?

Spend your Winter Leisure Time Reading or Watching TV?  

Jim Windell

 

            Many of us slow down between Christmas and New Year’s Day, finding that it is a perfect time to curl up on a couch and binge watch a series on a streaming service. Or even read a book you got as a holiday gift – or one you’ve been meaning to read for several weeks. And when faced with several weeks of frigid and icy winter weather, the need to hunker down and continue leisurely indoor pursuits might be very inviting.

            But could what we do during the hibernation season be stimulating to our brain?

            That was a question researchers at the University of South Australia pondered. They recognized that people enjoy their well-deserved down time, but what would be best for them?

           Undoubtedly, they thought, there is likely a hierarchy of how sedentary behaviors relate to cognitive function. Some may have positive effects while others may have negative effects. If they could get a handle on this, it could prove to be valuable in that the insights gained could help reduce the risks of cognitive impairment.

           This seems particularly true when considering that that it has been found that at least 45% of dementia cases could be prevented through lifestyle changes.

           In Australia, about 400,000 people (or about one in every 1,000) are living with dementia. In the U.S., there are more than five million people with dementia, or somewhat more than one in 10 who are 65 years of age and older.

           According to Dr. Maddison Mellow, a University of South Australia researcher, not all sedentary behaviors are equal when it comes to memory and thinking ability. “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,” Mellow says.

           “We already know that physical activity is a strong protector against dementia risk, and this should certainly be prioritized if you are trying to improve your brain health,” Mellow explains. “But until now, we hadn’t directly explored whether we can benefit our brain health by swapping one sedentary behavior for another.”

           In their research, Mellow and his colleagues assessed the 24-hour activity patterns of 397 older adults (ages 60 and over). Time-use behaviors were recorded using the Multimedia Activity Recall for Children and Adults, cognitive function was measured using the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination III and Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and waist–hip ratio were also recorded.

           The results, published in The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, suggest that sedentary behaviors which promote mental stimulation or social engagement – such as reading or talking with friends – are beneficial for cognitive function, whereas others like watching TV or gaming have a negative effect.

           “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,” says Mellow.

           He adds that to achieve the best brain health and physical health benefits, “You should prioritize movement that’s enjoyable and gets the heart rate up, as this has benefits for all aspects of health. But even small five-minute time swaps can have benefits. So, if you’re dead set on having a Christmas movie marathon, try to break up that time with some physical activity or a more cognitively engaged seated activity, like reading, at some point. That way you can slowly build up healthier habits.”

           In other words, Mellow and his associates found that social or mentally stimulating activities such as reading, listening to music, praying, crafting, playing a musical instrument, or chatting with others are beneficial for memory and thinking abilities. But, watching TV or playing video games are detrimental.

           To read the original article, find it with this reference:

Mellow, M. L., Dumuid, D., Wade, A., Olds, T., Stanford, T., Keage, H., Hunter, M., Ware, N., Simpson, F. M., Karayanidis, F., & Smith, A. E. (2024). 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, Biological sciences and medical sciences, 79(11), glae233. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glae233

 

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