To work full time - is it harmful for the brain?

Do not pass the IQ test after a long working week if you are over the age of forty. Otherwise, the result may disappoint you. It turns out that people over forty should not work more than 25 hours a week - this hurts their intellect. The Australian scientists came to this conclusion.

The original experiment

The team of scientists developed tests for reading, recognition of patterns and the ability to memorize. The experiment involved more than six thousand employees over the age of forty. His goal was to understand how a working day affects the cognitive abilities of a person. As a result, scientists have determined that it costs about twenty-five hours a week to work - only this amount does not have a negative impact on cognitive abilities. Interestingly, not only fatigue affects, but also inaction, so that a complete absence of employment will not be a good solution either. The work stimulates brain activity and helps maintain cognitive function in the elderly. Or a person uses his brain, or he loses its functionality! At the same time, too long working hours cause fatigue, create stress, which can negatively affect health.

Special age

Why does the turning point come exactly in forty years? According to scientists, our intellect and ability to perceive information begin to deteriorate after twenty years, and the ability to use skills and knowledge deteriorates after thirty. By the age of forty, people are starting to show a worsening of the result in tests to check memory and wit. At the same time in many countries the retirement age is steadily growing, giving people a moment of rest. Recent research can help change society's view of this issue. Work, on the one hand, stimulates brain activity, on the other, it can cause stress and fatigue, which worsens cognitive abilities. It turns out that this problem is very ambiguous.

Justification of the situation

Researchers have established that, despite the fact that the economic situation is pushing people to work more than ever before, biologically and emotionally a person is not ready for such. The level of stress and working routine after forty years can be dangerous. In previous experiments it has already been established that people of any age working overtime can face chronic stress, deterioration of cognitive abilities and even psychological disorders! The extended working day worsens the psychological health of employees, it has been known for about twenty years. The latest study showed that after forty years such an effect already creates a normal working day.

Stress and other factors

The negative impact of stress is well known to specialists. Stress worsens the person's cognitive abilities at the hormonal level - the body raises the level of steroids and cortisol, which worsens short-term memory, concentration and the ability to rational thinking. However, there are other factors. One of the most important researchers believes that in a certain period, most adults need not only to work full-time, but also to care for someone, for example, a child or an elderly person. As a result, the amount of work is doubled, and the person practically does not get rest. According to research, a typical situation is when a person cares for parents for several years in a row, spending about twenty-five hours a week in caring for others, which is added to the hours spent at work, as well as the time spent on other duties. Another factor is sleep. Not so long ago, some people were proud of their hard schedule and the minimum of sleep. For example, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher reported that she works effectively after only four hours of sleep every day! In this case, experts recommend sleeping at least seven hours already at the age of 26 years. Cognitive abilities are directly dependent on sleep and rest. A full recovery of energy is necessary for high productivity. Constant absence of rest leads to serious problems with health. It is as harmful as smoking!