Too Much Sitting Isn’t Kind to Our Brains Either
Many of us try to fit some activity into our lives. We hike, bike, walk regularly, or squeeze in a workout or two each week. But plenty of us also love activities that involve sitting—Netflix marathons, books, podcasts, social media—all while we stay glued to the couch. And if you work at a desk, chances are you spend most of your day sitting, whether you like it or not.
The Mayo Clinic has linked too much sitting to issues like obesity, high blood pressure, and elevated blood sugar.
But a new study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association reveals a worrying connection: excessive sitting is linked to brain shrinkage, The Healthy points out.
It Could Raise Your Risk of Alzheimer’s
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee explored how a sedentary lifestyle might increase Alzheimer’s risk.
The study involved 404 participants aged 50 and older. Most showed no cognitive decline at the start, but a third carried the APOE-ε4 gene, which the Cleveland Clinic says significantly raises Alzheimer’s risk.
Most participants (87%) met the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity weekly. On average, they moved about 61 minutes daily, but that wasn’t enough to counteract the damage from sitting.
Moderate activity means brisk walking, cycling, or mowing the lawn—enough to raise your pulse and make you sweat a bit. Vigorous activity—like running, swimming, or mountain biking—makes it hard to say more than a few words without catching your breath.
Cutting Down Sitting Time Is Key
Here’s the eye-opener: participants spent about 13 hours (807 minutes) sitting daily. This long sitting time was linked—via MRI and cognitive tests—to thinning of the brain’s cortex, especially in areas tied to Alzheimer’s, along with memory decline.
Those carrying the APOE-ε4 gene showed more gray matter loss in the frontal and parietal lobes—regions crucial for memory and learning. What’s even more concerning? Extra exercise didn’t stop this brain decline.
“Reducing Alzheimer’s risk isn’t just about exercising once a day. Even if you exercise daily, cutting down on sitting time is equally important to lower your risk.”
What This Means for Us
Researchers suggest doctors should ask not only if we get enough exercise but also how much time we spend sitting each day. Cutting back on long periods of sitting is just as crucial as fitting in daily workouts.
If you’ve been focusing on exercise, that’s fantastic! But it might be time to invest in a standing desk or schedule some walking meetings during your day. Your brain will thank you!
