Is your job contributing to your dementia risk?

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – Really working your brain could pay off in more ways than one. It can boost your career, but it may also boost your cognition and help prevent dementia as you get older. If your work is not very demanding, your brain could be impacted as you get older.

A new study published in the journal of the American Academy of Neurology looked at the health and job information of 7,000 people. They were followed from their 30s until they retired in their 60s.

The study found having a job that’s not mentally stimulating was linked to a 66% higher risk of mild cognitive impairment.

There was also a 37% greater risk of dementia after the age of 70.

The risk of dementia, the study says, goes up if your job is repetitive or a routine job. It named housekeeping, custodial work, even construction work or postal work.

More cognitively demanding jobs examples were lawyers, doctors, and technical engineering.

Researchers say your work is really important for your cognitive health.

Health officials say it’s just like exercise to maintain and grow your muscles — you need to also do the same for your brain.

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