A mentally stimulating job can ward off dementia.
Taxing jobs keep the brain healthy
According to a new study, people whose brains work harder in their jobs were less likely to have memory and thinking problems in later life.
Analysis of over 7,000 Norwegians in more than 300 occupations found that those in the least mentally demanding jobs had a 66 per cent greater risk of mild cognitive impairment and a 31 per cent increase in the chance of developing dementia.
Study author Dr. Trine Edwin, a geriatrician and postdoctoral fellow at Oslo University Hospital, said: "We examined the demands of various jobs and found that cognitive stimulation at work during different stages of life - during your 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s - was linked to a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment after the age of 70.
"Our findings highlight the value of having a job that requires more complex thinking as a way to possibly maintain memory and thinking in old age."