'Active' Sitting Is Better For Brain Health (sciencealert.com)
(Friday January 23, 2026 @05:00AM (BeauHD)
from the not-all-sitting-is-equal dept.)
- Reference: 0180642084
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/01/23/089256/active-sitting-is-better-for-brain-health
- Source link: https://www.sciencealert.com/not-all-sitting-is-equal-one-type-was-just-linked-to-better-brain-health
[1]alternative_right shares a report from ScienceAlert:
> A systematic review of 85 studies has now [2]found good reason to differentiate between 'active' sitting , like playing cards or reading, and 'passive' sitting, like watching TV. [...] "Total sitting time has been shown to be related to brain health; however, sitting is often treated as a single entity, without considering the specific type of activity," explains public health researcher Paul Gardiner from the University of Queensland in Australia. "Most people spend many hours sitting each day, so the type of sitting really matters ... These findings show that small everyday choices -- like reading instead of watching television -- may help keep your brain healthier as you age."
>
> Across numerous studies, Gardiner and colleagues found that active sitting activities, like reading, playing card games, and using a computer, showed "overwhelmingly positive associations with cognitive health, enhancing cognitive functions such as executive function, situational memory, and working memory." Meanwhile, passive sitting was most consistently associated with negative cognitive outcomes, including increased risk of dementia.
The study was [3]published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease .
[1] https://slashdot.org/~alternative_right
[2] https://www.sciencealert.com/not-all-sitting-is-equal-one-type-was-just-linked-to-better-brain-health
[3] https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877251394751
> A systematic review of 85 studies has now [2]found good reason to differentiate between 'active' sitting , like playing cards or reading, and 'passive' sitting, like watching TV. [...] "Total sitting time has been shown to be related to brain health; however, sitting is often treated as a single entity, without considering the specific type of activity," explains public health researcher Paul Gardiner from the University of Queensland in Australia. "Most people spend many hours sitting each day, so the type of sitting really matters ... These findings show that small everyday choices -- like reading instead of watching television -- may help keep your brain healthier as you age."
>
> Across numerous studies, Gardiner and colleagues found that active sitting activities, like reading, playing card games, and using a computer, showed "overwhelmingly positive associations with cognitive health, enhancing cognitive functions such as executive function, situational memory, and working memory." Meanwhile, passive sitting was most consistently associated with negative cognitive outcomes, including increased risk of dementia.
The study was [3]published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease .
[1] https://slashdot.org/~alternative_right
[2] https://www.sciencealert.com/not-all-sitting-is-equal-one-type-was-just-linked-to-better-brain-health
[3] https://doi.org/10.1177/13872877251394751
Oh really? (Score:3)
by devslash0 ( 4203435 )
Who would have thought that doing brain-engaging things is better for you than just sitting idle. Sitting is just means to an end. Did we really need a study for this?
Power-saving mode (Score:2)
by ZiggyZiggyZig ( 5490070 )
I'm not sitting idly, I'm entering power-saving mode, you insensitive clod!
I don't know how people sit for hours at a time (Score:2)
After about 30 mins I need to stand up , stretch, maybe take a short walk around the office or the house, otherwise I just get uncomfortable with very occasional leg cramp.
Re: I don't know how people sit for hours at a tim (Score:2)
Not a great attention span, mate. Or if your work is not engaging, find a new job.
Re: I don't know how people sit for hours at a ti (Score:2)
Yeah, 15-20 minutes is the time most need just to get into flow and put some actual productivity in. It's different when you've got 16 conversations going and need to look away from screen for two minutes to clear your head though.