The Joy of Lifelong Learning

Earlier this month, Angela Davis from Minnesota Public Radio News hosted a radio segment on the benefits of lifelong learning. Her segment featured community educators from across Minnesota sharing about the community and skills their classes create.

In addition to building community, lifelong learning is important for maintaining brain health as we age. The Global Council on Brain Health includes cognitively stimulating activities in their six pillars of brain health. The Global Council gives some tips to help you get started finding ways to engage your brain:

1. Find new ways to stimulate your brain and challenge the way you think. Doing something new is key. This could be a pottery class through community education, gardening, or learning a language. Finding new things to challenge your brain helps build neurons and improves brain health.
2. Choose activities that involve both mental engagement and physical exercise. Physical exercise is good for the heart and the brain, and finding an activity that engages you mentally and physically is a nice way to combine two get healthy brain habits in one activity.
3. Seek out mentally stimulating activities that incorporate social engagement and greater purpose such as volunteering or mentoring. We are meant to be in community with one another and participating and engaging with others through volunteering and mentoring is a great way to engage your brain.

It's never too late to start engaging your brain and learning new things. Start small with new, simple habits that challenge yourself each day.