WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Video
WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Video
This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

Sitting For Long Periods Can Reduce Blood Flow To Brain, Study Says

Sitting For Long Periods Can Reduce Blood Flow To Brain, Study Says

Doing 10 Minutes Of This Can Offset A Whole Day Of Sitting

Doing 10 Minutes Of This Can Offset A Whole Day Of Sitting

5 Things You Can Do At Your Desk To Improve Your Health

5 Things You Can Do At Your Desk To Improve Your Health

Experts Reveal How Much Exercise You Need To Do To Counteract A Day At Your Desk

Experts Reveal How Much Exercise You Need To Do To Counteract A Day At Your Desk

{headline}

{headline}

Experts Reveal The Healthy Habit That Doubles Your Risk Of Heart Disease

Experts Reveal The Healthy Habit That Doubles Your Risk Of Heart Disease

Study Finds Sugar Impacts The Brain In The Same Way As Drug Abuse

Study Finds Sugar Impacts The Brain In The Same Way As Drug Abuse

New Study Finds Burnout Majorly Messes With Your Heart Health

New Study Finds Burnout Majorly Messes With Your Heart Health

{headline}

{headline}

World-First Research Finds Chronic Pain Physically Changes Your Brain

World-First Research Finds Chronic Pain Physically Changes Your Brain

Health Expert Says Women Should Be "Manspreading" Too

Health Expert Says Women Should Be "Manspreading" Too

UK Company Launches Ground-Breaking Policy For Women With Menopause

UK Company Launches Ground-Breaking Policy For Women With Menopause

Ruby Rose Shares A Hospital Selfie And Opens Up About Suffering From Dissociative Amnesia

Ruby Rose Shares A Hospital Selfie And Opens Up About Suffering From Dissociative Amnesia

Study Finds Working Overtime Can Increase Your Risk Of Stroke

Study Finds Working Overtime Can Increase Your Risk Of Stroke

Burnout Has Officially Been Recognised As A Medical Condition

Burnout Has Officially Been Recognised As A Medical Condition

Your May 2019 Horoscope: Cut Yourself Some (Much-Needed) Slack

Your May 2019 Horoscope: Cut Yourself Some (Much-Needed) Slack

  1. Home
  2. Health

Sitting Too Long Could Put Your Brain Health At Risk

It's probably time to get up from that desk. - by Melissa Matthews
  • 18 Apr 2018
Sitting Too Long Could Put Your Brain Health At Risk
Getty Images

Here’s a case against watching Netflix on the couch all weekend: All that vegging could rot your brain.

For years, doctors and scientists have lectured about the dangers of being inactive, so it’s not exactly surprising that being a couch potato is bad for your health. But a new study published this month in PLOS One reveals that sitting for too long can change a region in our brains vital for memory.

The Office What GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

In the latest research on the effects of being a bum, researchers studied the brain health of 35 people between 45 and 75 years old. Participants answered questions about their activity level, including how much time was spent sitting, walking, and performing vigorous or moderate physical activity each day.

Then, high-resolution MRI scans were performed to give scientists a detailed look at each person’s medial temporal lobe, an area that helps us form new memories. The team identified patterns between sitting, activity levels and brain thickness, and found that people who reported sitting for longer periods of time were more likely to have thinner medial temporal lobes.

RELATED: This One Stretch Can Undo A Day's Worth Of Sitting At Your Desk

Although being sedentary was linked to less brain volume, the study does not show that being lazy causes your brain to diminish. More research is necessary before we can blame our forgetfulness on prolonged periods of sitting.

This isn’t the only paper indicating that inactivity is bad for our brains.

As Men’s Health previously reported, an Australian study found that men who sat for at least six hours a day were more likely to feel tired, nervous, restless or hopeless compared to those who spent less time on their butts.

Busy Jim Carrey GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

And this new paper only adds to the myriad research concluding that we need to move more. A meta-analysis from Germany found that people who spent the most time sitting each day were more likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer compared to those who were active. Plus, vegging out is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, obesity and back pain.

Now that we’ve convinced you to step away from the keyboard, how often should you take a break?

About two hours a day, according to health experts. Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, a study by an international team of doctors and researchers suggests that people with desk-based jobs aim to stand or walk for two hours every day. Of course, they're not suggesting you take an extra-long lunch, but find a variety of ways to take breaks throughout the day.

Surprised GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

“To achieve this, seated-based work should be regularly broken up with standing-based work, the use of sit–stand desks, or the taking of short active standing breaks,” they advise.

This article originally appeared on Men's Health

  • News
  • Health
  • Career

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack
Watch 0:23

This Simple, Effective Ab Workout Will Shred Your Six-Pack

{headline}

{headline}

Sitting For Long Periods Can Reduce Blood Flow To Brain, Study Says

Sitting For Long Periods Can Reduce Blood Flow To Brain, Study Says

Doing 10 Minutes Of This Can Offset A Whole Day Of Sitting

Doing 10 Minutes Of This Can Offset A Whole Day Of Sitting

5 Things You Can Do At Your Desk To Improve Your Health

5 Things You Can Do At Your Desk To Improve Your Health

Experts Reveal How Much Exercise You Need To Do To Counteract A Day At Your Desk

Experts Reveal How Much Exercise You Need To Do To Counteract A Day At Your Desk

{headline}

{headline}

Experts Reveal The Healthy Habit That Doubles Your Risk Of Heart Disease

Experts Reveal The Healthy Habit That Doubles Your Risk Of Heart Disease

Study Finds Sugar Impacts The Brain In The Same Way As Drug Abuse

Study Finds Sugar Impacts The Brain In The Same Way As Drug Abuse

New Study Finds Burnout Majorly Messes With Your Heart Health

New Study Finds Burnout Majorly Messes With Your Heart Health

{headline}

{headline}

World-First Research Finds Chronic Pain Physically Changes Your Brain

World-First Research Finds Chronic Pain Physically Changes Your Brain

Health Expert Says Women Should Be "Manspreading" Too

Health Expert Says Women Should Be "Manspreading" Too

UK Company Launches Ground-Breaking Policy For Women With Menopause

UK Company Launches Ground-Breaking Policy For Women With Menopause

Ruby Rose Shares A Hospital Selfie And Opens Up About Suffering From Dissociative Amnesia

Ruby Rose Shares A Hospital Selfie And Opens Up About Suffering From Dissociative Amnesia

Study Finds Working Overtime Can Increase Your Risk Of Stroke

Study Finds Working Overtime Can Increase Your Risk Of Stroke

Burnout Has Officially Been Recognised As A Medical Condition

Burnout Has Officially Been Recognised As A Medical Condition

Your May 2019 Horoscope: Cut Yourself Some (Much-Needed) Slack

Your May 2019 Horoscope: Cut Yourself Some (Much-Needed) Slack

WomensHealth
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Paragon Media
  • Contact Us
  • About Paragon Media
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Contact Paragon Media

Brands

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
  • Men’s Health
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now