When we retire from our jobs we may be giving up more than staff meetings, desk lunches and a paycheck. The social interaction and mental challenges found through work can be good for our mental health. Working longer, making decisions and being surrounded by different people is good for your brain health, according to new research. In the first year of retirement, there’s a 30% reduction in short-term memory, said Mitch Anthony, author of “The New Retirementality” and retirement coach.
“Boredom is a real thing. The human species needs something productive to do. Otherwise, life feels aimless,” said Anthony. “A lot of retirees say they’re busy. Busy? Doing what? Doing something 18 levels below your pay grade is not good for you.” Read: Should I claim Social Security at 62 and invest it or wait until 70? Diverse people and ideas in the workforce also jump-start diverse thinking. When older adults retire, their circle of influence gets smaller and their thinking narrows, said Robert Laura, founder of the Retirement Coaches Association and the Retirement Intelligence Assessment. “It’s truly the idea of if you don’t use it, you lose it,” Laura said. “Without work and the social interactions that come from it, people are watching TV 40 hours a week.” Read: Eating these simple foods may slow Alzheimer’s by a third This issue about the lack of social cont …