A new study has found that interrupting prolonged sitting by doing a one-minute half-squat every 20 minutes improves blood flow to the brain, which in turn improves cognitive function and concentration. Doing this simple exercise at work or home will keep your brain active.
We all know that sedentary behavior, such as sitting at a desk all day or sitting on the couch and watching TV for long periods of time, can have negative effects on health. Previous research has even suggested that blood flow to the brain may be reduced, thereby impairing executive function, a set of skills essential for planning, focusing, remembering, and multitasking. Research has also shown that increased blood flow to the brain reduces the risk of dementia.
A new study investigated the effects of prolonged sitting, with and without interruptions, on cerebral blood flow and executive function.
The researchers recruited 20 healthy young people (45% female) with an average age of 21 years. Participants were excluded if they regularly engaged in moderate or vigorous physical activity, smoked, had a history of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, or were taking medications that affected their mental illness. Heart or cerebrovascular health.
Participants were divided into a control group, who sat for three hours without interruption, and an intervention group, who sat for the same amount of time but did one-minute half-squats every 20 minutes. To perform a half squat, participants crossed their arms in front of their chest and bent their knees to their 90 degrees at a rate of once every 4 seconds. Because it was a crossover study, participants spent time in both groups.
Blood pressure (BP), heart rate, and blood flow through the internal carotid artery (ICA), which accounts for 75% of total blood flow to the brain, were measured at regular intervals while sitting. Participants completed visual analogue scales (VAS) on mental fatigue, concentration, and motivation before and after sitting. The Color Word Stroop Test (CWST) measures executive processing ability. The other is the Trail-Making Test Part B (TMT-B), which measures cognitive and executive function.
In the CWST, participants immediately identify whether the words “red,” “blue,” “yellow,” “green,” and “black” are printed in the color ink that corresponds to the written word. You will be asked to: In TMT-B, participants must trace the lines that correspond to the correct alphanumeric combinations, such as A-1, B-2, C-3, etc.
The researchers found that compared to a control group, the group that performed intermittent squats performed better in both incongruent (words that don’t match the printed ink color) and congruent (colors and words match) conditions. found that they responded more quickly to I completed the CWST and completed the TMT-B faster. However, the performance accuracy of each task did not differ between groups.
The control group reported significantly less concentration and a greater increase in mental fatigue than when they exercised. When participants remained sedentary for 10 to 180 minutes, ICA blood flow decreased by 3.7%, but increased slightly (0.3%) when they exercised.
“The main finding of this study is that three hours of sitting and semi-squatting can improve several aspects of executive function,” the researchers said. “This effect may be explained by the maintenance of ICA blood flow by the half squat, which may also explain the maintenance of mental alertness, concentration, and fatigue. provides potential mechanistic insights into how cognition is maintained during
The researchers note that their study has limitations. That is, participants in the control group were asked not to move their feet or fidget, which does not represent real-world situations. Although this allowed us to more effectively separate the effects of control and intervention conditions on participants, it may have limited the validity of the study. Furthermore, they tested only one area of his cognitive function using his two tests. Other areas can be affected by prolonged sitting, including attention, memory, and decision-making. Future research is needed to assess whether this is the case.
Nevertheless, researchers say this easy exercise may have some benefits.
“The results of this study show that the half-squat exercise, a simple and highly achievable exercise strategy, improves several aspects of executive function compared to sitting uninterrupted for extended periods of time. “Our results suggest that maintaining ICA flow during acute attacks can suppress increases in fatigue,” the researchers said.
The study was published in the journal applied physiology.
