University of South Australia Research

For long-term brain health, older adults may want to carefully consider how they spend their downtime, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of South Australia assessed the 24-hour activity patterns of nearly 400 people over the age of 60.

When it comes to brain health, the study found that the context or type of activity that individuals engage in matters, SWNS news agency reported.

Some sedentary behaviors are better for cognitive function than others, according to the findings, which were published in the Journal of Gerontology Series A.

Mentally stimulating behaviors, such as reading, listening to music, praying, creating and playing a musical instrument — as well as social behaviors such as talking to others — are beneficial for memory and thinking skills, the study noted.

The research team referred to “valuable insights” that could help reduce cases of cognitive impairment.

More passive activities, such as playing video games or watching TV, do not provide the same benefits as reading, praying and other activities, they noted.

More than 55 million people around the globe have dementia, according to World Health Organization estimates. Another 10 million new cases are diagnosed each year.

Dr. Maddison Mellow, a researcher at the University of South Australia, said that not all sedentary behaviors are equal when it comes to memory and cognitive health.

“In this research,” she said, “we found that the context of an activity changes how it relates to cognitive function, with different activities providing different levels of cognitive stimulation and social engagement.”

She said scientists “already know that physical activity is a strong protector against the risk of dementia, and that should be a priority if you’re trying to improve your brain health,” as SWNS reported.

“But until now, we hadn’t directly investigated whether we can benefit our brain health by swapping one sedentary activity for another.”

She continued, “And while the ‘move more, sit less’ message certainly applies to 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 function cognitive.”

It’s wise to prioritize movement that’s enjoyable and gets your heart rate up, she also said.

And “even small 5-minute exchanges of time can help.”

A recent study published by the RAND Corporation in California also identified several key predictors that occur around age 60 that can lead to cognitive impairment and dementia in individuals by age 80, as Fox News Digital previously reported.

The researchers evaluated 181 potential risk factors, including demographics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle and health behaviors, health history, psychosocial factors, and more.

The list of predictors, according to RAND, included “never exercising” and “low engagement in hobbies.”

The study results suggested that “maintaining good physical and mental health is beneficial not only for staying fit, but also for staying sharp and delaying cognitive decline,” said study co-author Peter Hudomiet, an economist at RAND in California, for Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed reporting.