Do you sit in front of the television for more than three hours a day? Or perhaps your kids do when they get home from school and have their homework done.
Well it might be time to change that as a new study has found that watching over three hours of television a day can lead to poor cognitive function in later life (in other words it can have a negative impact on the abilities and performance of your brain).
According to the Express, researchers looked at a number of individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 over a 25-year period. Those involved were faced with a number of tests including “processing speed, executive function and verbal memory.”
The team, from the Northern California Institute for Research and Education, discovered that those who watched a lot of television as young adults had worse cognitive function by middle age.
However it is important to note that the amount of physical activity also had an impact on the level of cognitive function. In fact, poor levels were twice as likely in those adults who watched lots of television AND did little exercise.
In other words the survey, which was published by JAMA Psychiatry, highlights that it’s important to incorporate both intellectual and physical activities into your and your kids’ routine whilst keeping viewing time to a minimum.
(Considering that Neighbours is only half an hour every day, I’d say I’m okay with these findings… might just have to cut out the Netflix binge every night!)
