"Use it or lose it" – we say when we forget words in a language we haven't used for a long time. This saying perfectly describes how our brain works. Fortunately, it can be "rebuilt" – through lifelong learning.
Lifelong learning (LLL), translated into Polish as "continuous education," doesn't sound very appealing. Not everyone associates school with good memories, and probably more than a few people reading this text can recall the moment they received their last school certificate and thought with relief: never again! However, we now live in times when it’s hard to stay in the job market without continually upgrading our skills and learning new things. But learning can happen outside of school, and LLL is a natural, remarkably simple, and often very enjoyable activity for humans.
Use it or lose it
Use it or lose it—that’s the principle that guides the human brain when it comes to learning. This principle relates to the phenomenon of neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to change in response to how often or intensely we use certain skills or knowledge. Use it or lose it: How neurogenesis keeps the brain fit for learning – ScienceDirect
Neuroplasticity is a fascinating phenomenon. It not only enables continuous learning, but also recovery after injury. And this happens at any stage of life, not—contrary to past beliefs—only until adulthood. The brain remains plastic for life! There’s just one condition. Which is? This brings us to the pleasures mentioned earlier. Neuroplasticity requires work: this means learning new things—such as a language—as well as solving crosswords, reading a book, playing a board game, taking a walk, or enjoying a nice nap.
"You can't teach an old dog new tricks." Or can you?
Neuroplasticity is also connected with another concept important to the brain: cognitive reserve. This is a kind of resilience of the brain to damage and neurodegenerative changes—like a "brain backup" for a rainy day. "Use it or lose it," remember? You can build your neural network, but you can also regularly destroy it through bad habits: chronic stress, lack of sleep, excessive sugar intake, smoking, dehydration, and finally... monotony. Let’s pause on that last one. Another popular saying goes: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." That’s completely untrue. The brain loves new tricks, and an aging brain desperately needs them because cognitive stimulation is the remedy for neuron degeneration.
How can it be measured?
How do we know how large our cognitive reserve is? You can assume that your cognitive reserve is greater the longer you studied a variety of subjects in and out of school, and the less repetitive and mechanical your work was, especially if it required problem-solving and skill development. Cognitive reserve is built by regularly reading, writing, listening to podcasts, solving crosswords and logic puzzles, and learning new things, such as a foreign language or playing an instrument. Your cognitive reserve is also influenced by social life and frequent contact with other people. Everything counts, from volunteering activities to casual chats while walking the dog.
How to exercise your brain after fifty?
Research shows that after the age of 40, our brains start to shrink at a rate of about five percent per decade, but it’s only after turning 50 that we clearly feel it Here’s exactly what happens to your brain when you turn 50. The change is obvious – Medonet. Brain aging is a natural process, but neglecting your brain can accelerate dementia. You should exercise your mind regularly, but also take regular walks. Get plenty of sleep, eat healthily, avoid stimulants. Sign up for classes at a University of the Third Age or a book club. Install a brain-training app. Have regular conversations with people.
Fifty is the moment when your brain says: I’m checking—have you taken care of my cognitive reserve? Don’t let it down. That is, don’t let yourself down.