Sitting less and moving more is a well-known mantra. But for older adults, being sedentary is not all bad when it comes to cognition and the brain.

Those recent scientific findings do come with a caveat: Basic benchmarks for physical activity should still be met. But otherwise, some sitting doesn’t harm the brain and actually may contribute to better performance on some mental tasks.

Colorado State University researchers studied the relationship between physical activity and cognitive performance in more than 225 healthy adults between 60 and 80 years old. The participants went through a series of mental tasks and physical activities. Those who were the most active showed better memory and reasoning ability — something the researchers expected.

But the findings also revealed something else about the less-active people: They performed better on reading comprehension and vocabulary tests than their more-active peers.

The researchers did not determine exactly why the less-active group did better with certain mental tasks, but they have a theory: Their quiet time isn’t just down time. It’s likely to include playing games, working on puzzles or reading. These activities may help to boost and maintain what is known as crystallized cognition — the lifelong accumulation of skills, facts and knowledge. The team noted more studies are needed to further define any link between sedentary activity and cognitive health.

For now, the findings make several things clear. For older adults, regular exercise remains a priority for overall health. But for those who aren’t or can’t be so physically active, being less so doesn’t have to be harmful.