Contents:
- Medical Video: Why sitting is bad for you - Murat Dalkilinç
- The brain can shrink due to sitting too long
- What is the impact if parts of the brain shrink?
- Hippocampus
- Parahipokampus
- How long is the ideal sitting time in a day?
Medical Video: Why sitting is bad for you - Murat Dalkilinç
How long do you spend sitting in a day? If you are an office worker, maybe you will spend a lot of time sitting. Even when at home, you will watch television or read the news while sitting on a comfortable sofa. However, do you know what is the result of sitting too long?
Some experts say this habit risks risking various types of diseases, such as back pain, obesity, and chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and blood vessels. In fact, it was recently discovered that sitting too long can cause the brain to shrink and of course affect nerve function. So, how can the brain shrink due to sitting too long?
The brain can shrink due to sitting too long
This has been proven in research published in the journal PLOS One. In the study the experts saw changes in brain size in the elderly who had long sitting habits and sedentary lifestyles (lack of physical activity).
This study shows the phenomenon of brain atrophy seen from the MRI results of the study participants. The MRI results showed that the elderly who had a habit of sitting for too long had ten percent thinning of the temporo-medial brain when compared to the active elderly.
The experts believe that this condition occurs due to blood flow that is not optimal when a person sits too long. Do nothing and just sit there, can make blood flow not smooth. Meanwhile, if you move actively, the blood flow to the part of the brain will be maximal, so that it makes normal brain function and volume even better.
What is the impact if parts of the brain shrink?
The part of the brain that will shrink due to sitting too long is the temporo-medial part. In this section, there are important areas called the hippocampus and parahipokampus.
Hippocampus
The hippocampus contains a collection of nerve fibers that serve as a repository of memory or a person's memory of something. In addition, this section also helps the function of navigation, imagination, creativity, decision making, and language. The disruption of the hippocampus area makes it easy for someone to forget so they are at risk of suffering from dementia.
Parahipokampus
Located close to the hippocampus, the parahipokampus area serves to interpret the various signals that enter the brain which will become long-term memory and "call" back (recall) long-term memory if needed at any time.
So if this part is damaged, your long-term memory will be disrupted.
How long is the ideal sitting time in a day?
Until now there has been no definite reference regarding how much a good hour to sit. The researchers recommend at least resting (standing, stretching) for five to ten minutes every hour, especially for workers who sit for long periods of time.
Actually, the most important thing is to balance the time of physical activity with rest. If you feel too often sitting or resting, you should take time for physical activity.
You can do simple stretches while working in the office, so that the blood flow will be smoother and your body's muscles will be trained regularly.
