Seniors’ smarts may be sharpest in the morning, a new study shows — especially when it comes to ignoring distractions!
Researchers used imaging to monitor the brain activity of 16 younger folks (ages 19 to 30) and 16 older ones (ages 60 to 82) as the participants did a series of memory tests while deliberately distracted.
When the experiment was conducted between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., the older adults were ten percent more likely to be distracted than the younger ones.
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But that gap got smaller when the tests were given between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., according to the study, published online in the journal Psychology and Aging and reviewed by The National ENQUIRER.
The findings give strong evidence that seniors’ brain function can vary significantly during the day, note the researchers at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in Toronto.
“Time of day really does matter,” confirms study author Dr. John Anderson. “This age group is more focused and better able to ignore distraction in the morning than in the afternoon.”
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Older folks’ “improved cognitive performance in the morning correlated with greater activation of the brain’s attentional control regions,” he explains.
Anderson says the findings suggest mornings might be best for older adults to schedule their most mentally taxing tasks, such as applying for a license renewal, trying a new recipe or consulting with a doctor about a new health concern.
