Major health benefit of learning a SECOND language?

Remember when you took a foreign language class (like Spanish or French) in school?

Perhaps you learned enough to pass your tests, but there’s a good chance you never became fluent in the language you studied.

Well, my friend, it may be time to dust off those old foreign language books!

Because research says there’s a MAJOR health benefit to speaking a second language.

According to a study published in the journal Aging Neuropsychology and Cognition, studying a SECOND language can provide a serious cognitive boost for the aging mind.

Over the course of three months, the study looked at adults aged 65-75 and found that participants who studied Spanish showed significant improvements in two important cognitive categories: working memory and executive function. Both keep you focused, help you avoid distractions, and deal with conflicting information.

And here’s more good news…

You don’t need to enroll in Spanish or French 101!

Learning a second language can be as simple as getting on your computer.

Online language courses like Babbel and Rosetta Stone are great ways to learn a new language—or brush up on a language you learned in the past—from the comfort and convenience of your own home.

There are also plenty of conventional ways to learn a second language.

Your local library will have books and texts. You can also check out introductory-level language classes at your local community college (many of which can be done online and at your own pace).

To the power of language,

Cory Templeman
Senior Editor, eAlert

Sources:

Anderer, John. “Bilingual benefits: Learning a second language boosts brain health.” https://studyfinds.org/learning-second-language-brain/