Stay young through science

Our physical shape is largely determined by physical activity. Keep this in mind and start exercising today, which will pay off in the near future with health and well-being. It is the same with mental fitness.

If we start training our brains regularly, we will stay young and have a good memory for longer and be more creative. A great way for adults to keep their brains fit is to learn foreign languages.

Adults learn differently to young students, but it is not true that they learn worse. Indeed, the stereotype is that intellectual performance declines inexorably with age. As the results of a study by the American psychologist Edward Lee Thorndike show, learning ability is at its best at the age of 25, after which it very slowly declines - by less than 1 per cent per year. 

Thus, between the ages of 25 and 40, a person shows a level of learning agility comparable to that represented in early adolescence, i.e. between the ages of 14 and 18.

The fact is, on the other hand, that the greatest enemy of an efficient mind is routine. Therefore, keep the brain constantly occupied by tossing it new tasks. Preferably, of course, ones that bring tangible benefits. And adults assimilate new knowledge most effectively precisely when they are presented with the context of applying newly acquired knowledge to real-life situations.

Research into the learning potential of adults shows that we retain the ability to learn well into old age, provided that we are constantly learning new things and that teaching techniques are adapted to teaching adults.

In the case of adult language learning, the so-called crystallised intelligence, using acquired experiences and mental habits, is responsible for learning processes. This type of intelligence, as opposed to the so-called fluid, innate intelligence, can develop almost throughout a person's life, as long as the person is continuously mentally active. 

Adults learn most quickly and efficiently what is related to their practical needs in their professional and private lives. When learning, they relate all new things to their previous experiences, which is why they can sometimes appear to learn things more slowly.

Scientists are unanimous in claiming that the human mind is like a supercomputer with unlimited capacity. The more information we provide it with, the more knowledge we will have on a daily basis. It is never too late to learn, so we can start training our brains with foreign language lessons at any age. It is just a matter of our willingness and motivation.

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