In general, physical activity has many health benefits, especially in terms of brain structure and function, although to a lesser extent, scientists have begun to look for the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle in these same aspects, because many people, despite exercise, lead a sedentary life for the rest of the day.
Some studies even suggest that a sedentary lifestyle may be a risk factor for the development of age-related cognitive decline.
- They suggest that 13% of Alzheimer’s cases worldwide can be attributed to a sedentary lifestyle.
- So reducing it by 25% could prevent more than a million cases.
In cognitive decline, atrophy occurs in an area of the brain called the middle temporal lobe, associated with memory disorders and Alzheimer’s disease. For example, in many studies, researchers have observed that physical activity affects the condition of this region, especially the hippocampus.
It is essential for the proper functioning of the brain to have adequate blood circulation, which favors the development of new neurons and slows down deterioration.
As physical activity increases, physical inactivity impairs glycaemic control and, as a result, decreases blood flow; in fact, studies have shown that in just 5 years, this results in a decrease in the amount of white matter.
A recent study by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) investigated the effects of physical inactivity in memory-related areas; to do this, the researchers focused not only on the time spent on physical activity, but also on the amount of physical activity. time for a healthy person to sit down.
For this research they evaluated 49 healthy people with an average age of 60, after completing a series of questionnaires on their level of physical activity and the hours spent sitting, they underwent MRI and neuropsychological tests, which resulted in researchers observing the thickness of the cerebral cortex and the performance of cognitive functions, such as memory.
In the study, they found that sedentary people had a thinner cerebral cortex in certain areas specifically related to memory.
Therefore, they suggest that a sedentary lifestyle predicts performance in these functions more accurately than exercise, so even a high level of physical activity is not enough to compensate for the effect of sitting for long periods of time.
Despite these findings, exercise is still recommended. Scientific evidence shows that it improves the performance of cognitive functions, cerebral vascularity and neurogenesis.
In addition, many activities affect cognitive performance, such as reading, language learning, intellectual games, and even interaction with others; However, professionals recommend maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Try walking to your destination and choose the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. .
If you follow these tips, you will not only improve your skills, but you will also feel better and make the most of your time.