Retirement causes brain function to decline rapidly in most people

For most of us, retirement is a longed-for moment when we finally get to put our feet up and enjoy some well-earned relaxation.

But workers might want to reconsider that goal – after a new study suggests that retirement causes brain function to decline rapidly.

Experts now suggest that people should try to stay mentally active, possibly by seeking other work.

The British study tracked brain function in 3,400 retired civil servants – and found that memory declined 40% faster once people retired.

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Professor Cary Cooper of Manchester Business School told The Telegraph, ‘We know the more cognitively active you are the more it offsets the risk of dementia.’

‘I’m not talking about doing Sudoku but doing something completely different from your job – so if you worked in the civil service all your life, why not go and help out in a hospital or teach?

‘The most important thing is to interact with people.’