Science Says Old Dogs Can (And Should) Learn New Tricks

Just like staying fit or making a living, learning is a never-ending process. So why do we find it so intimidating to try something new? According to new research from the University of California Riverside, learning or trying something new isn’t all that hard to do for adults — and can actually combat the negative effects of cognitive aging.

A separate study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine showed that people who took part in leisure activities, no matter if it was cooking or trail running, became 34 percent less stressed and 18 percent less sad while they did so, and the calming effect lasted for hours. In a time when all of us are too stressed, the benefits of learning new skills and taking up new hobbies as an adult are reason enough to get over your apprehension. And thanks to the study published from the University of California Riverside, titled “A Novel Theoretical Life Course Framework for Triggering Cognitive Development across the Lifespan,” we know that contrary to the familiar adage, an old dog can indeed learn new tricks

Read the whole article at Men's Journal

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