For a long time now, including from agebuzz, the warnings have been consistent, i.e., that “sitting is the new smoking” and the more sedentary your lifestyle, the more harm to your health.  So when reports recently surfaced that sitting, in fact, may not be so bad for you, we had to know more. Sure enough, out of Colorado State University comes a new study examining the impact of sitting on certain cognitive skills. Following 228 adults ages 60-80, and using sensors to track their sitting and standing, researchers found that those who spent more time sitting had stronger vocabulary and reasoning skills than those who were up and about more. It turns out though, it’s not the sitting itself that’s beneficial, but instead how your mind is engaged while you’re sitting. If you’re reading, doing puzzles, or involved in some other intellectual engagement, then there may be value in taking some time to put your feet up and “exercise” your mind. But does that mean you should cut back on your physical activity? Not in the least. As lead researcher Aga Burzynska makes clear, “I don’t think I would in any way suggest that we should engage in more sitting, but I think trying to be as physically active as possible and making sure that you get stimulated in your sedentary time — that it’s not just spent staring at the TV — that this combination might be the best way to take care of your brain.” To underscore the message that physical activity is still essential, another recent study from The American Cancer Society examines the physical and mental well-being of older cancer survivors, once again emphasizing the essential need for moderate to vigorous physical activity (and less sedentary time) as a strategy for improving the health of cancer survivors as well as all older adults.

So after you’ve had a nice rest and finished that book chapter, one important way to get that recommended physical activity is to go outside for a walk. Previous agebuzz posts have touted the value of walking outdoors, and while the weather still permits outdoor activity, the pleasure of a lovely Fall walk can still be had. In fact, a recent study from UCSF Memory and Aging Center, in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin, reports that “awe walks” outside not only give you the benefit of physical activity but can boost your emotional well-being and support positive emotional perspectives. In this study, “awe” was defined as “a positive emotion triggered by awareness of something vastly larger than the self and not immediately understandable.” Older adults who took even 15-minute “awe” walks over an 8 week period reported more positivity and less distress in their daily lives. As Gretchen Reynolds noted in The New York Times, “Mixing awe and activity can augment the benefits of each.” So whether you’re taking in some gorgeous Fall leaves or watching the sky at sunset, get outside and take in a walk before your evening of sedentary relaxation.