The next time you suspect you are overdoing things mentally, a quick check of your nose temperature could prove illuminating.
Scientists have discovered that a cold hooter is a sign of thinking too hard.
In a study, in which researchers used thermal imaging cameras on the faces of 14 volunteers while they carried out mental tasks, they found that the nose temperature of those feeling overwhelmed dropped by around one degree centigrade. Scientists say it as a sign that the brain is overworking, and has diverted blood from elsewhere in the body to help its neurons. Extremities, like the nose, suffer first because it take more energy to pump blood to them.
Dr Alastair Ritchie of the Bioengineering Research Group at the University of Nottingham said: "We expected that mental demands on an operator would result in physiological changes, but the direct correlation between the workload and the skin temperature was very impressive. We were not expecting to see the face getting colder. With this accurate way to estimate workload, we can develop methods that will assist the operator at times of maximum stress."
The research was published in Human Factors.
