Retiring early is a top goal for millions looking to reduce stress in older age.
But a new study suggests that quitting work in your 50s may raise your risk of suffering from cognitive decline.
Researchers in New York City tracked 2,400 Americans in their mid-50s for 16 years, analyzing their employment histories and brain function.
Women who retired early were found to be almost twice as likely to be classed as having mild cognitive impairment – memory loss or trouble with language and judgment – or dementia by the end of the study compared to those who continued to work.
Among men, those who retired early were 50 percent more likely to be classed as having the conditions compared to those who continued working.
Early retirement in the US is generally considered to be before age 65. Recent estimates suggest American men typically retire at 65, while women retire at 63.
It’s unclear exactly why stable employment may maintain cognitive health, but experts believe it may be because working requires the brain to exercise its abilities to solve problems, multitask, make decisions and learn new procedures.
This cognitive stimulation may improve neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to adapt and form new neural connections.
Early retirement and long periods of unemployment were associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment in women, a new study suggests
Dr Erika Beidelman, first study author and postdoctoral research scientist at Butler Columbia Aging Center in New York City, said: ‘Importantly, exposure to long-term employment instability differs systematically by gender in exposure, and likely in its impact on cognitive health.
‘These differences underscore the necessity of examining gender-specific employment trajectories to understand late-life cognitive outcomes.’
The study was observational and could not prove that retiring early caused cognitive impairment or dementia. It adds to a growing body of evidence, however, which links early retirement with a higher risk of cognitive impairment.
About one in 10 Americans over 45 report signs of cognitive decline such as frequent memory lapses, trouble finding the right words or difficulty making decisions or completing familiar tasks.
Health authorities estimate 10 to 15 percent of people with mild cognitive impairment, noticeable cognitive decline, develop dementia each year.
In the new study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, researchers looked at 2,418 adults from the Health and Retirement Study, a long-term survey of Americans over 65.
Participants were about 57 when recruited, and 61 percent were women.
The team analyzed participants’ employment histories from 1998 to 2014 and performed cognitive tests to evaluate their memory, language and executive function skills in 2016.
During multiple check-ins, participants were assigned to one of seven groups: Employed-Job Secure; Employed-Job Insecure; Unemployed; Retired; Not in Labor Force; Self-Employed; and Unreported.
They were assigned to the group based on which they reported most often out of the four check-ups they had with researchers between 1998 and 2014.
Adults defined as job insecure were those who said they felt they were likely to lose their job within the next year.
Of the participants, 30 percent of women and 31 percent of men met the criteria for cognitive impairment, including mild cognitive impairment or dementia.
‘By embedding subjective job insecurity within long-term employment histories, this study provides a clearer picture of how psychosocial work dimensions unfold over decades,’ Beidelman said.
Overall, the study found that, among women, every employment group other than predominantly job-insecure was linked to lower memory and executive function scores compared to those who remained in secure employment.
Among men, every group other than the predominantly self-employed was linked to a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with cognitive impairment compared to those who remained in secure employment.
It was not clear why those who were predominantly job-insecure or self-employed had a lower risk of being classed as having mild cognitive impairment or dementia, but researchers said these jobs can be more challenging, which may help to maintain brain function.
The above charts show associations between employment patterns and cognitive scores in both men and women. In women, early retirement and being unemployed for long periods of time was most associated with cognitive impairment. In men, inconsistent employment patterns were associated with lower cognitive scores
‘Interestingly, our results suggest that employment continuity, rather than subjective job security, may be the more protective factor for cognitive aging,’ Beidelman said.
Additionally, people who stayed employed long-term despite repeatedly reporting they thought they would lose their job did not show the same pattern of lower scores as those who actually left the workforce.
In addition to improving brain connections, the experts suggested steady employment boosts social engagement and lowers stress levels stemming from worries about job security, exercising cognitive function and lowering the risk of harmful brain inflammation.
The researchers emphasized that the study did not differentiate between specific jobs that may be more physically or mentally stressful.
Previous studies have suggested that high work-related stress may be associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.
Beidelman said: ‘Our findings carry meaningful implications for dementia prevention and public health policy.
‘Employment continuity across midlife may represent a modifiable factor associated with cognition decades later.
‘Policies supporting sustained labor force attachment, reducing involuntary job transitions, and expanding access to cognitively engaging employment throughout midlife may help promote healthier cognitive aging.’
