For older adults, how they spend their free time may be key in preventing dementia, according to a newly released study. The University of South Australia assessed 400 people over the age of 60 for 24 hours and found that their daily activities had a great impact on their brain health. While diet and exercise certainly have an impact on mental stamina, the study also found that certain sedentary, engaging behaviors could also be beneficial. The study found that certain mentally stimulating behaviors, including reading, listening to music, praying, crafting and playing a musical instrument, could help in dementia prevention, while more passive activities such as watching TV or playing video games appeared to offer less benefits. Even social activities, such as sitting and chatting, could offer some benefits.

One of the study’s researchers, Dr. Maddison Mellow, noted how swapping out certain activities could be beneficial to older adults. “In this research we found that the context of an activity alters how it relates to cognitive function, with different activities providing varying levels of cognitive stimulation and social engagement,” she said. Physical activity remains the strongest protection against mental decline, which Mellow encouraged, but she noted the study showed that older adults could show more preferences to more beneficial sedentary activities. “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 behaviors and cognitive function,” she said. According to Mellow “even small, 5-minute time swaps can help.”

Dr. Jonathan Rosand, a neurologist and co-founder of the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, has developed a 21-point scale to help people determine their brain care and ways they can adjust their daily habits to improve brain health. The scale looks at 12 different risk factors that include diet, sleep, exercise, alcohol consumption, stress, and social connections, amongst other things. The scale is especially encouraging to those who may have a genetic predisposition to dementia. “The good news is that if you engage in healthy behaviors, you are much more protected against dementia than if you do not do those things,” said Dr. Christopher Anderson, chief of the Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “The idea is to get away from the idea of genetic determinism.”