How Lifelong Learning Improves Brain Health

Date : 20-05-21

You have likely heard about the need to make physical exercise a priority throughout your life, but there is another aspect of wellness that people don’t talk about nearly as often – brain health! Because your brain acts like a muscle and can get stronger or weaker over time, exercising your mind is an integral part of overall wellness and longevity.

Brain health impacts essential daily functions such as working memory, planning, processing, responding, and focusing. Keeping these functions sharp helps you maintain your independence and delay cognitive decline, limiting you as you grow older.

Luckily, there are many ways to keep your brain healthy and strong, so you can continue living your life to the fullest for many years to come. An enjoyable way to keep your brain active is to participate in lifelong learning programs for older adults.

Below, we share why later life learning can improve brain health and contribute to the quality of life as you age.

1. Learning creates new neurons

Neurons are the cells that make your brain function, and they are responsible for your actions and personality. They carry information and work together to allow you to think, remember, walk, and talk. They are part of every single function within you, so it is vital to promote their regeneration continually.

Over time, neurons will naturally degrade or wear out if not strengthened through activities that challenge the mind. Lifelong learning and other activities that keep you intellectually active can promote the repair of tired neurons and help the brain create new ones. Having a healthy supply of lively neurons helps ensure that your abilities are not impacted as you age.

2. Challenging yourself builds self-esteem

While it can be tempting to rest all day in retirement, many people find that they feel better when actively engaged in activities that keep them challenged, social, and active.

Learning a new skill or attending a lecture can stretch and strengthen your mind while also giving you a greater sense of purpose, fulfilment, accomplishment, and community - all essential aspects of maintaining or improving self-esteem in later life.

3. Mental health is part of brain health

Mental health is a part of brain health because our emotional state (regulated by the brain) can impact how much energy, motivation, and enthusiasm we have for life in retirement. When we feel low, disconnected, and unfulfilled, it is harder to go for a walk, call a friend, or leave the house to do an activity that we usually enjoy. For this reason, mental health is an essential part of overall well-being. Taking an interest in lifelong learning (particularly opportunities with an on-campus experience) can effectively support mental health by staying physically, socially, and intellectually active with other older adults.

Live your best LIFE

If you are looking for a lifelong learning program in Toronto, Ontario, The LIFE Institute could be an excellent fit for you! The LIFE Institute is affiliated with Ryerson University and offers members access to lectures, social groups, volunteer opportunities, and Ryerson’s campus facilities.

Learn about the benefits of LIFE membership or reach out to us for more information. We’re happy to welcome you to our community of older adults dedicated to later life learning!