Why learning a language is good for your brain
Learning a language isn’t just fun, it’s good for your brain! A number of scientific studies have shown that the cognitive benefits of language learning are broad. And one study says that learning a language could even help delay dementia.
That’s a lot to unpack! So, we’ll do just that in this blog.
But first, let’s look at the first point made: learning a language isn’t just fun. If you read that and had images of your GCSE or O-level French lessons with weighty textbooks and repeating dull phrases, bear with us!
At CasaLingua we focus on fun. If you’re enjoying what you’re doing, you learn more! It doesn’t matter whether you’re learning at our language school in County Durham or one of our online courses, we focus on enjoyment.
That’s because we want you to learn a language; or, as some of our learners have, several languages! We wouldn’t be doing our job if you found it dull or it brought back bad memories of being at school!
So, if you’re looking for something new to do in your life no matter what age, CasaLingua is here to change your view on learning a language.
Why learning a language is good for your brain
Learning is good for you! Scientists have spent many hours studying the effects learning has on people. According to research in The Lancet, every year of additional learning reduces your mortality risk by an average of 1.9%.
But what about learning a language? Well, researchers have discovered that learning and regularly using another language is one of the best things you can do for your brain. That’s because it can increase the density of your grey matter!
Grey matter is responsible for things such as memory, emotional regulation and decision-making. So, your brain is getting stronger, faster and more flexible the more you use a second language.
While you might think you’re simply “learning Italian”, the truth is you’re taking your brain for the best possible workout!
Increasing memory
A number of studies point towards the fact that learning languages is so powerful on your brain that it can help delay the onset of dementia.
Learning is good for you and your memory! That’s because learning is like taking your brain to the gym. Remember it is a muscle – and the more you exercise it the more ‘toned’ it becomes.
Brain training apps – which include puzzles and memory games – are recognised as being good for your grey cells as they boost memory and concentration.
But learning a language is now being recognised as one of the best cognitive workouts.
That’s because when you practice a language, you’re not just using concentration and memory. You also need to hone your listening, problem-solving and recall techniques.
When you practice a language, you’re constantly retrieving information from memory, whether that’s vocabulary, verb endings, sentence structures and pronunciation rules.
The more you practice recalling those things the better your brain becomes at remembering information in general.
Learning a language can delay dementia
As well as understanding the effects on your brain, scientists have also discovered that learning a language also helps delay dementia.
One of the early studies on dementia and learning a language took place in 2013. A number of departments from The University of Edinburgh joined forces to study the case records of 648 dementia patients, 391 of them bilingual.
It found that bilingual patients developed dementia almost 5 years later than those who spoke only one language.
These findings were backed up in 2020 by scientists from a number of Spanish universities. They suggested that their studies offered the first prospective evidence that bilingualism may act as a neuroprotective factor against dementia and could be considered a factor in cognitive reserve!
There’s more to it than dementia…
One of the most fascinating pieces of research came from two professors at University College London. They concluded that learning a language might be good for more than just memory and dementia. The report for The British Academy also found that learning a language can enhance creativity.
Brain agility is also increased from language learning. If you ever watch someone switch effortlessly between languages in mid-conversation, that demonstrates how that works.
Where do I start?
If you’d like to start learning a language, then have a look at what CasaLingua offers. From French and Italian to Portuguese and Mandarin, we have a team of experienced tutors. As well as our language school in Consett, we also offer classes on Zoom, so it doesn’t matter where you are.
If you’d like to know more, contact us today.