Sitting for a long time, whether working at a desk or watching a show violently, will damage brain health and daily exercise, and will not completely reverse the damage.
A Vanderbilt University study tracked older people for seven years, monitoring sitting and moving with wrist devices. The results show that even people who exercise 150 minutes a week have long-term brain contractions. Participants sat on average for 13 hours a day, which was associated with thinner brain areas associated with memory and Alzheimer’s disease.
The stretched sitting position reduces blood flow, oxygen and nutrients to the brain, weakens cellular connections and shrinks the hippocampus that manages memory. It also increases inflammation.
The study concluded that minimizing sitting posture is as crucial for brain health as exercise.
Written by: Nikhila Gayatri Kalla, Intern
