THINKING hard tires you out like manual labour, a study has found.
Experts say desk jobs are as exhausting for the brain and body as physical work.
Long periods of concentration cause toxic chemicals to build up in the brain, meaning it must power down to protect itself, making us feel tired.
People who rack their brains show the same signs of tiredness as if they were physically worn out, including smaller pupils and lazy decision-making.
In a study, 40 people spent six hours on puzzles.
Those who did hard ones made lazier decisions at the end of the day, choosing a smaller, faster reward rather than waiting for a bigger payout.
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Making impulsive decisions is a sign of tiredness as the brain is less able to control cravings when low on energy.
Tests also showed a bigger build-up among the hard puzzles group of brain molecules called glutamate.
It is critical for brain function but dangerous in large amounts, so the brain must work less when levels get too high.
Dr Mathias Pessiglione said: “Fatigue would be a signal that makes us stop working to preserve brain function.”
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