People who drive more than two hours a day show more early signs of cognitive decline.
Is driving as mind-numbing as watching television? Spending more than three hours in front of his screen would be harmful for the brain, and would limit cognitive capacities. Well it would be the same for driving, according to the results of a study conducted at the University of Leicester (United Kingdom).
By analyzing the lifestyles and intelligence quotient of more than 500,000 Britons aged 37 to 73, the researchers noticed a noticeable decline in cognitive abilities in the 93,000 study participants who drove more than two hours a day. .
A faster decline
At the start of the study, which lasted 5 years, their intellectual abilities were already inferior to the rest of the population. And this is not getting better: monitoring has shown that their decline is also faster.
“Five years is enough to assess cognitive decline, because it is rapid in people of middle or advanced age,” explained in the columns of the Sunday Times Kishan Bakrania, Epidemiologist at the University of Leicester. It is associated with factors such as smoking, diet, and therefore now daily driving time ”.
Brain time available
Studies had already shown that long hours of driving had a negative impact on the cardiovascular level, due to inactivity. And obviously, this inactivity is also found on the intellectual level. “These results suggest damage to the brain, probably because the mind is less strained during these hours,” continues Mr. Bakrania.
Brain time available, in a way, like watching television. And no way to read or escape in his thoughts, under penalty of more than painful consequences for the driver, and for the rest of the motorists.
The computer to the rescue
However, there is a way out. As a first step, avoid accumulating two hours of driving and three hours of television when you get home. But the researchers’ results also show that a sedentary lifestyle linked to screens is not necessarily responsible for these effects.
They observed that using a computer to work or play improved brain function. “Cognitive skills are stimulated in people who use their computers two to three hours a day,” adds Kishan Bakrania. When watching TV, the brain is less active, but using a computer is stimulating. “
The ideal solution? Take public transport: they give you time to read or play, to do crossword puzzles or sudoku. In addition, you have to walk often, which is good for general and cardiovascular health. Without forgetting the environment …
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