A new study found out that mental stress at work is beneficial to the workers' mind upon retirement. The findings suggest that certain jobs can enhance and protect the workers' mental performance later in life.
Researchers from the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research found that individuals who had jobs that required a variety of mental processes can make their minds sharper as they grow older.
They analyzed data of 4,182 participants who have previously worked in a wide variety of jobs and performed the same work for an average of over 25 years before they retired. Their jobs consist of analyzing data, developing objectives and strategies, evaluating information, decision making, problem solving, and creative thinking.
The participants, with ages 51 to 61 at that time, were interviewed for roughly eight times from 1992 to 2010. Their mental performance was also evaluated using standard tests of sporadic memory and mental status, including recalling a list of 10 nouns immediately after looking at it and counting backwards from 100 by sevens.
They found that participants who had jobs that have greater mental demands were more likely to have stronger minds and better memory after their retirement compared to people who had jobs that required lesser mental demands.
"These results suggest that working in an occupation that requires a variety of mental processes may be beneficial to employees," said Jessica Faul, an ISR assistant research scientist, in a press release.
"It's likely that being exposed to new experiences or more mentally complex job duties may benefit not only newer workers but more seasoned employees as well," she added. "Employers should strive to increase mental engagement at work and, if possible, outside of work as well, by emphasizing life-long learning activities.
Further details of this study can be read in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
