Indoor Activities to Reduce Dementia Risk

Pull out a favourite book or get together with your favourite bookworms. Halfpoint/Shutterstock

A study published in The Journals of Gerontology has revealed that the type of activity older adults engage in significantly impacts brain health.

Researchers examined the activity patterns of 397 older Australian adults aged 60 and over, uncovering how different sedentary behaviours affect cognitive function or mental processes.

Maddison Mellow, the study’s lead author and research associate at the University of South Australia (UniSA), says that until now, there has not been research directly exploring whether we can reduce the risk of dementia by swapping one sedentary behaviour for another.

“We already know that physical activity is a strong protector against dementia risk, and this should certainly be prioritised if you are trying to improve your brain health,” Mellow said.

“But we found that sedentary behaviours 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. So, the type of activity is important.

“And, 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 behaviours and cognitive function.”

The study categorised activities under one of 9 “superdomains“: sleep, self-care, chores, screen time, quiet time, transport, social, physical activity, and work/study.

The outcomes led researchers to believe there could be a separate hierarchy for sedentary behaviours, where some behaviours are beneficial whilst others are detrimental.

Normal Ageing vs. Dementia

As people get older, natural cognitive decline slows their ability to process information.

For example, a 20-year-old is 75 percent faster than a 75-year-old at substituting symbols for numbers.

The results of this natural decline can also be seen in language and memory.

Vocabulary and verbal communication are largely unaffected, but it may be more difficult to find a particular word to use. For memory, a person could have difficulties forming new memories, but their old memories from many years ago would be largely intact.

In dementia, this decline occurs at an accelerated rate, leading to symptoms like forgetfulness, confusion, and difficulty verbalising and finding the right words.

The condition is difficult to diagnose, as no single test can be used, and these symptoms can also be attributed to normal ageing.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimates that 411,100 Australians are living with dementia as of 2023—a figure expected to double by 2058.

Dementia cost the health and aged care system $3.7 billion between 2020–2021, with an additional $1.8 billion spent on residential care services.

Insights to Reduce Cognitive Decline

The research from UniSA offers actionable advice to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

“To achieve the best brain health and physical health benefits, you should prioritise movement that’s enjoyable and gets the heart rate up, as this has benefits for all aspects of health,” Mellow said.

“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. That way, you can slowly build up healthier habits.”