Working after 40: what more than 25 hours a week does to the brain

Created: 05/20/2022, 17:09

By: Sophia Lother

Study shows: Too much work damages the brain.

(Archive image) © Guido Kirchner/dpa

How much work is good for your own cognitive performance?

An Australian study deals with this question – with clear results.

Berlin – Many people wish to retire as early as possible.

While only a very small proportion retires after 40, some prefer to slow down rather than give up the job altogether.

A study shows that this not only has health benefits.

Too much work might even make you stupid.

This was shown by researchers from universities in Melbourne and Tokyo.

They wanted to know what effects a demanding job has on the cognitive abilities of people over 40 - with clear results.

Work and Intelligence: At what point does the job affect cognitive performance

The experts published their study in a working paper.

The statements of more than 5000 women and men over the age of 40 were used.

They had answered scientific tests that assess working memory and information processing speed.

A reading test was also used; it is mostly used in clinical studies to measure the level of intelligence, for example, in people with dementia before the onset of the disease.

"Our results show that the effects of working hours on cognitive abilities are not linear.

Up to a weekly working time of around 25 hours, an increase in working hours has a positive effect on cognitive function.

However, if the working time exceeds 25 hours per week, an increase in working hours has a negative impact on cognitive abilities," the researchers explain in their study.

Health: How long working hours harm cognitive ability

The study results are so relevant precisely because Germany and more and more other countries are continuing to raise the retirement age.

"Work can be a double-edged sword because it can stimulate brain activity, but at the same time, long hours and certain types of tasks can lead to fatigue and stress that can potentially damage cognition," study leader Colin McKenzie told the BBC.

From a working time of 55 hours a week, the people did worse in the intelligence test than pensioners and the unemployed.

(slo)