Why Multitasking Is Harder As We Age

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Research studies repeatedly show that the elderly find multitasking harder than their younger counterparts. Why is it so? According to a team of neuroscientists at UCSF, the negative impact of ‘working memory’ increases as we age. Working memory is a mental function applicable in all the day-to-day workings of the brain- – -be it as simple as performing daily tasks or learning a new language. It is your mental capacity to retain information in your mind and re-use it when required. Along with weakening of bodily muscles and motor skills, our mental resources and ability to concentrate, can deteriorate significantly. Despite the decline in brain functions, it is possible to focus on one particular task at a time. However, if the brain is forced to switch the focus from one particular task to the other, there could be trouble in refocusing due to the decrease in retention capability associated with aging. For example, suppose you were interrupted with a telephone call while writing an article, you would then have trouble reconnecting to the chain of thoughts that your brain had before going offline. The brain functions of the elderly are not adept at switching on and off between mindful activities. They lack the ability to readily make neurological connections between one activity to the other. Neuroscientists are therefore of the opinion that multitasking is harder as we age. Image courtesy of Pixabay