Do you love to watch television? You are not alone, as people all over the world spend a lot of their time in front of the television screen. But did you know that if you spend 3.5 hours or more watching television each day, you could increase your chances of getting dementia. This is all according to a new study by a research team at the University College of London.
The new study found that watching 3.5 hours of television every day can double the rate of memory decline for those over the age of 50 years old. Also, when watching television, you are missing out on brain boosting activities such as reading, learning new things or playing brain games. Verbal memory declined by 10 percent over a 10 year study of those who watched more than 3.5 hours of television each day and are over the age of 50. Those who watched less than 3.5 hours a day saw a decline of just 5 percent.
As reported in the study, the research team says that television “fuels brain power loss”, especially the older you get. Watching television is fine if it is done in balance with brain boosting activities, especially if you are over the age of 50. Always be mindful before sitting on the couch in front of the television.
As you know, there is no cure for dementia, but there are things you can do lower your risk and mitigate the onset of dementia. For example, limit your time in front of the television. Also, physical exercise with cognitive exercises, new and novel learning as well as social interaction can all ward off memory loss. By living a healthy and active lifestyle, even as you age, you can improve the quality of your life while preserving you memory.
You can also mitigate dementia by up to 2.25 years with the help of SMART Brain Aging. Contact us to day to learn how our cognitive therapy programs can help you!
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