Minds of the Elderly Are Sharpest in the Morning

With all of the bad news flying around for our aging population, there is some solace to be found for the elders of our communities now that a small study has conducted some groundbreaking research. It turns out that the minds of the elderly are sharpest first thing in the morning. Waking up to smell the coffee now takes on a whole new meaning for the not-so-young as more and more people are practicing the “early to bed, early to rise” mantra once again in an effort to improve their quality of life.

The Study

Truth be told, the study that determined the minds of the elderly are sharpest in the morning was a rather small one. Still, the results were fascinating enough to be shared with other curious and aging minds. Canadian researchers took 16 people between the ages of 19 and 30 and compared their mental fortitude to 16 people between the ages of 60 and 82. Each study was conducted at two different times during the day: between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. and between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The Results

When all was said and done, the 16 older individuals were measurably more distracted between the hours of 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. than those younger folks were. However, when the study was conducted in the morning, the difference was much less noticeable. The interesting results were actually published in a recent issue of the journal Psychology and Aging. On top of that, Toronto’s Baycrest Center for Geriatric Care validated the small study recently, finding that the average adult brain function was incredibly sharper during daytime hours.

The Bottom Line

Firstly, these studies mean that the time of day plays a huge role in how well the minds of the elderly can function in a fast-paced society. Secondly, it means that programs that are centered on geriatric services should be conducted in early morning hours to provide the most benefit. When you improve the function of cognitive abilities, you thereby improve the brain’s capacity to create memory and activate certain portions of its control regions. This might eventually translate into more longevity or even an improved quality of life for our elders. Speak with your doctor or neurologist for more personalized information and advice.