Before the golden haze of Christmas carols, too much food, the odd alcoholic beverage or two, and the potential stress of holidays spent with the family, take their toll on your intellectual judgement, why not make a New Year’s resolution to do something for yourself which could reap many health and wellbeing benefits?
Learning another language helps in many ways. Whether it’s French, Spanish, German or English, let’s take a look at why …
- Be better at making decisions
Because you have to challenge yourself when learning another language, it’s possible your decision-making skills will be improved. You’ll be making decisions based on rational thinking rather than emotion.
- Your memory could be improved
Learning a foreign language can help improve your memory so it might mean there are less incidents of you walking into a room and forgetting why you went there!
- Learn to focus and be more attentive
Speaking a second language can help you focus and handle distractions better because you’ll be used to switching between languages. Your brain is challenged and focus improves.
- Be better at multitasking
Speaking two or more languages can improve your ability to multitask, as you remember the differences and specific requirements of each one, both in writing and in conversation.
Because your cognitive skills are being used more than they might usually be, learning a foreign language can also help you learn other subjects, at school or college perhaps, or important things at work or at home.
- Your first language will benefit as well
By learning another language, your knowledge of grammar improves as you remember what you learned (or didn’t learn!) at school. So you can become a better writer, speaker, and communicator.
- Multiply those grey cells (Poirot would be proud) and potentially delay the onset of diseases like dementia
Grow your brain by learning a different language?! There’s a growing belief that learning another language keeps your brain healthy for longer. Scientists have allegedly found that people who can speak more than one language tend to develop dementia later than those who don’t, as your brain is being exercised more, which is one way of warding off those horrid diseases.
So, it’s a no-brainer! Make a New Year’s resolution to challenge yourself, your resolve and your brainpower, and book some tuition (in person 1-2-1, in a class, or via Skype from the cosiness of your home or office) from The Language Guru.
Happy New Year – Bonne année – Frohes neues Jahr – Feliz año nuevo !