Expert explains why doing this one thing could delay dementia

When you think of a workout, you probably imagine a park run or smashing some weights at the gym, but there are different types of 'workouts' that you'll thank yourself for doing later in life.

There are 10 million new cases of dementia across the globe each year and sadly this number is only going to get higher. Alzheimer's Disease International has warned that 78 million people in the world will be living with the degenerative disease.

There are risk factors when it comes to dementia. These include older age, genes, other long term health conditions, sex and gender, and lifestyle.

There are things people can do to help lower their risk at developing dementia, however. Eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly are all ways to lower your chances of developing the condition — but there's something else you might not have thought but benefit your health, and that's learning another language.

Dementia typically affects the older generation (Getty Stock Image)

A study published earlier this year suggested that being bilingual can delay dementia, and brain and cognition expert Natalie Mackenzie has weighed in on this.

Speaking in partnership with Preply, Natalie explained: "Just like our bodies, the brain needs regular exercise, and as a cognitive expert, I believe that language learning is actually one of the best workouts for improving our brain health, it’s like a super gym workout for it.

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"Pushing yourself to do something difficult, like learning a new language or even dance, promotes neural activity and growth. And if you can do this around others, all the better."

Learning a new language can help delay dementia (Getty Stock Image)

Going on to share why learning a new language can help our brains and therefore delay dementia, Natalie said: "When we learn a new language, the hippocampus is stimulated, and that supports vital processes like memory, problem-solving, and emotional control.

"People who are bilingual even show increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, which helps them think more sharply and regulate their emotions more effectively."

There's evidence that practicing another language helps build something known as a 'cognitive reserve'.

"This means the brain develops new neural pathways that can be used when others begin to weaken," Natalie said, adding: "Regularly practising new words and phrases keeps the brain adaptable and resilient, both of which are essential for keeping the mind sharp in later life."

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