Learn To Learn To Learn

Here’s what we know:
The more you learn, the healthier your brain becomes. The mental gymnastics don’t have to be strenuous, either. They just have to be consistent.

So here’s the problem:
We typically believe that learning is what you do in school. If there is no school, no classes, no homework, and no lesson plan, there is just no new learning.

This attitude is as normal as it is plain wrong.

Engaging in new activities that get you to think (a bit more than when you watch Seinfeld re-runs) can help reduce dementia. Read this study summary.

This is NOT about memorizing facts and figures. It is about challenging yourself to do something new; something that requires you to work to gain a new skill. Read this study summary.

The best news is that continued learning (a new dance, a new art form, a new sport, or a new social venture) does keep you from sliding, but it can also actually improve brain function. Just like weight training enhances the muscles (so they are better able to do weight training), interacting with the world enhances your brain (so it is better able to think, remember, and reason).

Here are some suggestions:

• Pick up a new musical instrument.
• Start a small business.
• Get a new hobby (crafts, painting, biking, hiking, model boat building, etc).
• Learning a foreign language.
• Volunteer for a cause that matters for you.
• Take cooking classes.