Buzz
A cold office isn’t the sole culprit behind a frozen nose while working. According to The Telegraph, a study published in the journal Human Factors suggests that excessive mental load causes blood to move away from your face and towards the brain, which can result in a chilly nose.
To study how our bodies react to cognitive strain, researchers from the University of Nottingham observed 14 participants using thermal imaging as they played a computer game with increasing difficulty levels. Volunteers periodically rated their perceived effort on scales and questionnaires. Additionally, the research team measured heart rate, breathing, and pupil dilation. (The study had a small sample size, with four participants dropping out, and mostly male subjects.)
Results varied, but the researchers found that participants who reported feeling mentally overwhelmed had a nose temperature drop of approximately 1.8°F. Along with pupil dilation, this was a strong indicator of heightened cognitive demand. This phenomenon is explained by blood being redirected to the brain, which requires extra energy to pump blood to the nose.
The study highlights that both extremely high and low mental demands can negatively impact job performance. Researchers aim to apply these methods to monitor workers, such as airline pilots, whose demanding tasks could create unsafe flying conditions if not carefully managed.
