Watching too much television and not getting enough exercise is one of the lifestyles that we should avoid. Did you know that having a lazy lifestyle in your early adulthood could damage your cognitive ability in the middle age? According to studies, Cognitive is a term referring to an individual’s ability to process to (thoughts) that should not deplete on a large scale in healthy individuals. It is defined as the ability of an individual to perform the various mental activities most closely associated with learning and problem-solving. 

Those who are watching too much television, frequently in inactive state and do not exercise are classified as Couch Potatoes. The lack of exercise will result in making your energy levels not to function correctly. This will make your body and mind hard to move as you have experience being sluggish for an extended period. This may not only transform your body to being not able to move, but it will also make a difference in your personality. 

By being a couch potato, you are missing everything in life. If you are the type of person, who wants to achieve more. You need to get up. Staying idle will risk you of missing a lot of opportunities. You become less interested in opportunities; you become less hardworking and less friendly. 

A recent study in the journal Neurology has found that poor physical activity in middle age is “directly correlated” to smaller brain size twenty years down the road. This means that a lack of physical activity now could result in quicker brain ageing later. And if you have heart disease, your brain could be ageing even faster.

What are the adverse effects of a Couch Potato

Brain Aging. One of the factors of having brain ageing is the idea of no longer using our minds to think or process. If you are a person who frequently wants the idea of being idle, you probably won’t be able to exercise. 

A study in Boston which conducted by researchers analyze some treadmill test. From the survey they have undertaken, they want to identify how people will react and get tired quickly. The exercise was accompanied by an MRI, to identify and study the development of the brain. They have found out that those with high blood pressure, people suffering from heart disease are the ones with smaller brains. Although this does not correlate that a small brain means that a particular person has poorer thinking, however, it corresponds to the idea that if we want our brain to function and prevent brain ageing, we must be able to exercise frequently to stay active both in body and mind. 

There are a lot of tips on how you can make your brain healthy. While exercise is good for the body and also for the mind. Reading, word games and some hobby which requires your mind to think is one of the best and most excellent ways to stay sharp. You need to work out your mind, so you need to keep going. Eating foods that are packed with nutrients that are good for the mind and help promote thinking can also contribute to preventing your mind to deteriorate. Lastly, you need to get some good rest. You cannot function well if your mind is tired. Having an adequate sleep helps you prevent cognitive decline, memory loss and fatigue which is not good for your concentration. 

Depression. While exercise prevents the obesity of a person, heart disease such as high cholesterol, high blood and diabetes; some thinks that people with this disease also suffer from depression. Some studies say people with this kind of illness also tend to be depressed. 

Depression can make people less motivated and have no energy to exercise. If exercise cannot be done which is necessary for preventing chronic disease, this will also impact your moods and depressions. 

In some cases, a little exercise and by just merely preventing sedentary lifestyle can avoid risk depression. One reason for this may be that exercise seems to trigger the birth of new brain cells in an area of the brain called hippocampus, (is a small organ located within the brain’s medial temporal lobe and forms an integral part of the limbic system, the region that regulates emotions.) which is known to be affected in depression. Whether it is a house walk or a brisk walk, it is essential that we don’t get sedentary and getting a little activity each day. While physical health indeed connects with this idea, the current study seems to complement this idea by suggesting that the same may be right for mental health.