A new study confirms what previous research and intuition tell us: Connecting to other people is good for your brain. In this case the research, published in the American Journal of Public Health, showed that memory declined at half the rate among socially engaged adults compared to their more isolated peers.
Three things you need to know
1. Elements of social interaction considered were marital status, volunteer activity, and frequency of contact with children, parents and neighbors.
2. The link between social connection and memory retention was more pronounced in more educated people.
3. The large study group included people as young as 50. Which is to say, staying connected throughout your adult life, not just when you're 70-plus, can help preserve your cognitive function.
Everybody knows connected people are healthy people. Whether you're a caregiver for someone with dementia or a healthy adult, it's worth keeping in mind. Social links could turn out to be as important to healthy aging as healthy eating, regular exercise, and good sleep.
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