Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis
Chris Dionigi says, “At every stage of life, you should be a rookie at something.” When I read this, it resonated with everything I believe. Are you aware that scientific research being done today indicates that learning a new skill will increase your chances of a healthy brain? Although playing computerized brain games is fashionable today, new research shows you might be better off picking up a new hobby. Dr. Denise Park, a neuroscientist at the University of Texas at Dallas, assigned 200 older people to different activities like digital photography and quilting. The groups spent 15 hours a week for three months learning their new skills. Rather than comparing them to people who did nothing, they compared them to social groups who had fun watching movies and reminiscing about past vacations but weren’t mentally challenged as much. Park’s research, which was published in the Journal of
Psychological Science, showed that not all activities are created equal. Only people who learned a new skill had significant gains in cognitive ability. Not only was there improvement, but a year later, that increase was maintained! One of the benefits of living in a senior community is the ability to access new activities. Staying in your home, even with outside support, does not necessarily provide opportunities to grow. I love to think of an 80-year-old being a rookie at playing bridge, knitting, or learning to use a computer! It is a perfect time in life to let go of the inhibitions of failing at something new. Rather than thinking it is too late to become a player, consider that being a rookie is the best thing you can do for your brain health!
“When was the last time you did something for the first time?” Anonymous
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