Relaxing can take many forms, whether it's diving into a good book or watching countless episodes of your favourite TV show. But experts have warned that what you do each day could have a bigger impact than you realise, especially when it comes to your brain health.

A recent study by the University of South Australia tracked the typical activities of 397 older adults within 24-hour periods. The researchers were eager to comprehend how various everyday tasks could contribute to cognitive decline and risk factors for dementia.

Overall, their findings were certainly excellent news for book lovers and social butterflies, as reading, crafting, chatting, listening to music and even prayer were considered beneficial for brain health. Nevertheless, researchers warned that watching television and playing video games could be harmful.

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Dr Maddison Mellow, who participated in the project, explained: "We found that sedentary behaviours which promote mental stimulation or social engagement – such as reading or talking with friends – are beneficial for cognitive function, whereas others like watching TV or gaming have a negative effect. So, the type of activity is important.

"And, while the 'move more, sit less' message certainly holds true for cardiometabolic and brain health, our research shows that a more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behaviours and cognitive function."

Dementia refers to a group of related symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning, according to the NHS. Almost a million people in the UK are estimated to have dementia, including one in every 11 over 65 years old.

Ahead of Christmas, Dr Mellow said: "To achieve the best brain health and physical health benefits, you should prioritise movement that's enjoyable and gets the heart rate up, as this has benefits for all aspects of health. But even small five-minute time swaps can have benefits.

"So, if you're dead set on having a Christmas movie marathon, try to break up that time with some physical activity or a more cognitively engaged seated activity, like reading, at some point. That way you can slowly build up healthier habits."

The research emerges at a time when a reported 45% of dementia cases could be prevented by modifying lifestyle factors. The University of Oxford previously outlined that tiredness, alcohol and even pollution can play a part in this too, after analysing 40,000 brain scans.

At the time, experts said: "We know that a constellation of brain regions degenerates earlier in aging, and in this new study we have shown that these specific parts of the brain are most vulnerable to diabetes, traffic-related air pollution, increasingly a major player in dementia, and alcohol, of all the common risk factors for dementia.

"We have found that several variations in the genome influence this brain network, and they are implicated in cardiovascular deaths, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, as well as with the two antigens of a little-known blood group, the elusive XG antigen system, which was an entirely new and unexpected finding."