Temperature and your brain…what’s the link? Do our brains work better at certain temperatures than others? And if so, why? Does age matter? These are interesting questions, particularly for those interested in optimizing their surroundings for peak performance-both physical and mental.
On a recent episode of Causes or Cures, I chatted with Dr. Amir Baniassadi about how indoor temperature affects the aging brain.
Dr. Baniassadi shares what we know so far about the relationship between temperature and cognitive function, and explores the theories behind how temperature might influence cognition as we age. He discusses the findings of his recent study on temperature and cognition, including what surprised his team most. He also touches on an earlier study he conducted on temperature and sleep, and offers practical tips for optimizing your home environment. Is there a “sweet spot” for room temperature that supports both clear thinking and better sleep? Listen to the episode, and you will find out.
Dr. Baniassadi is an instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a scientist at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research. His work focuses on the aging brain and how environmental factors affect health and well-being in older adults. He holds a PhD in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering from Arizona State University and an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran. He also completed postdoctoral training in Translational Research in Older Adults, as well as a fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Please tune in to the episode here.
Here’s a clip from my Youtube channel on him describing temperature ranges and brain function:
(BTW, if you don’t have the time or patience to listen to a whole podcast, I post very short, yet poignant, clips to my Youtube channel, so consider following there as well.)
After you listen to this episode, check out some of the other episodes, such as this one on how specific air pollutants are linked to specific causes for hospitalization.
Also, in outbreak news, I did a video on the difference between mortality rate and case fatality rate, using bird flu as an example, and how the media is confusing the two and probably panicking readers/viewers when they shouldn’t be. You can watch that here.
Thank you, as always, for reading the blog and/or tuning into the podcast.
Eeks x