Even if you have never had any first hand experience with it, it is common knowledge just how horrible and degenerating Alzheimer’s disease can be for both the afflicted and those who care for them. Not only does this horrible burden lead to memory loss and cognitive decay but it is also hereditary which means your chances of getting it increase should any of your immediate family present with it. But just because you might be prone to Alzheimer’s does not necessarily resign you to a future of pain and suffering. Studies have shown there are very simple and productive things that individuals can do to help prevent mental decline, including learning a second language and performing other mental exercises.
Old thinking led people to believe that being bilingual meant having a crowded brain, with some even under the impression that it might even be bad to speak more than one language. But with the benefit of an ever increasing number of scientific studies on the subject, we now know just how good being multilingual can be for your grey matter. Until very recently it was thought that having two languages, such as English and Spanish, active in the brain at the same time caused internal conflict that acted as a deterrent to learning. With modern research analysis, we know that there are mental conflicts… albeit ones that strengthen problem solving skills and overall cognitive acuity.
It would be easy to assume that those who spend their whole lives speaking two languages are the only ones who could truly reap the cognitive benefits, but those assumptions would be incorrect. Learning and using a second language at any age is as good for your brain as regular exercise is for your body – it promotes strength and elasticity while guarding against deterioration and becoming lackadaisical. And even if you don’t have a history of Alzheimer’s in your family, science has shown picking up a second language can also help ease and prevent other issues like dementia.
Some might think that the benefits of speaking a second language such as Spanish are abundant and obvious and yet asking themselves, “when would I find the time?” and “will it be too hard for me?” and “where do I even find a Spanish teacher in Salt Lake City?” While all of these questions are valid, they shouldn’t be what stands in the way of learning a skill that could enhance both your life and health. Learning anything new as an adult presents varying challenges from person to person but there are always outlets to help overcoming such issues.
For those interested in the health benefits of learning a new language, assistance is out there waiting for those looking for it. Inlingua is a leading organization in second language acquisition with facilities all over the world. If you are living in Salt Lake City, finding a Spanish teacher or even a Mandarin or Swahili teacher is as simple as checking out the second language programs available at Inlingua Utah through https://www.inlinguautah.com/ or calling 1-801-355-3775.