Turning back the biological clock with language
So you’ve mastered one language why should you put in the work to learn another? Learning the first one was hard enough as it was…. Right? Well what if I told you it could keep you young.
No I don’t mean that learning a second language will make you go from 45 to 25. (Although that would be cool.) What I mean is the world isn’t getting any younger and people all around the world are living longer then ever before. With an aging population comes the task of keeping both the body and the brain healthy. As well keeping us healthy also comes at a cost both for the population and the governments
In a 2018 review linguists out of the University of Hradec Králové found that by learning a foreign language you could decrease the amount of pharmacological intervention required for older adults.
They found that learning a foreign language not only could benefit overall cognitive function … meaning that your brain will work better for longer. But it can also increase self-esteem and if that isn’t a good enough reason to convince you to learn a new language maybe saving money will be. Increased self-esteem has also been shown to decrease the likelihood of other conditions such as depression and anxiety.
This study also found that leaning a second language is also related to saving costs. Like we said the population isn’t getting any younger and with that comes a whole mess of health problems that need to be treated and treatments cost money.
If we can slow the progression of these health concerns and brain disorders like dementia, then ultimately we can lower the financial burden both for the patient but also for the system overall.
Now let’s review shall we.
Learning a second language will:
- Keep my brain young.
- Keeping my brain young will keep me healthy overall.
- When I am healthier overall I will save money.
In addition to all of this I will,
- Have a better self-esteem.
There really is no downside to learning a second language not only will it benefit your health but it can also be fun.
With the power of technology learning a new language of easier then ever before. Never before has it been so easy for the student to connect with not only resource to study but also with individuals who want to help them learn.
At Hola Everyone we offer a wide variety of option to help you learn Spanish. (If you want reasons as to why you should learn Spanish specifically you can find that here).
Weather learning one-on-one or within a group from the comfort of your own home (or wherever you are). Our classes are a great option to get you talking and actually using your new language.
As well if you really want to kick your learning into hyper drive you can test out our Immersion programs.
Sources:
Klimova B. Learning a Foreign Language: A Review on Recent Findings About Its Effect on the Enhancement of Cognitive Functions Among Healthy Older Individuals. Front Hum Neurosci. 2018;12:305. Published 2018 Jul 30. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2018.00305
Writer: Taylor Habuda
