Speaking multiple languages can slow ageing
Learning another language can do much more than help you on holiday; It may actually slow down the aging process.
A study of 86,000 adults aged 51 to 90 in 27 European countries found that people who spoke three or more languages were much less likely to show signs of “accelerated aging” than those who spoke only one language.
Researchers from the Basque Center for Cognition, Brain and Language compared participants’ biological ages with their actual ages, as measured by physical, cognitive and lifestyle factors such as heart health, activity levels and sleep quality.
They found that multilingual speakers had a smaller gap between the two; This shows that their bodies and brains are aging more slowly.
Jason Rothman and Federico Gallo of the University of Lancaster wrote in an independent analysis of the study: “Knowing more than one language may not only allow you to talk to more people or open new cultural horizons; it may also help you age healthier.”
“Hypothesise that the mental gymnastics inherent in juggling multiple languages is a lifestyle factor that promotes healthier cognitive aging.”
