The adaptiveness of the brain, which scientists have now better understood is called Neuroplasticity.
Studies show that brains of adults and elders can learn a new language just as a child could, provided they get the opportunity and are not inhibited towards making mistakes.
A child's brain is indeed completely raw, known as 'Tabula Rasa' and they can find it easier to master certain skills of perception, but at the same time, adults have the advantage of analysis, self-reflection and greater discipline.
Although our ability to easily pick up a new skill declines with age, harnessing a specific type of mindset can help you learn effectively as an adult.
There are many general benefits of embracing new skills.
Long-term brain changes can slow the mental decline that comes with ageing. A study of adults - aged 58 to 86 - who pursued a handful of courses showed a marked improvement on more general cognitive tests - matching the performance of adults 30 years younger. The benefits came from pursuing multiple skills, not just one skill.
The ongoing pursuit of different interests may increase your creativity.
Intellectual humility - the capacity to recognise the limits of your knowledge - can open your minds to new ways of thinking.
If you need to remember something, you might do well to... draw it. According to a new study, drawing can be a more effective memory aid than writing and rewriting, simply looking at information, or using various other visualisation techniques.
Drawing can be a more effective memory aid than writing and rewriting. You don't actually have to be good at drawing to reap the memory benefits. It is effective because it involves multiple ways ...
If Cassidy Sokolis ever needs to wake up before 11 am, she scatters three alarm clocks throughout her bedroom. Even then, she still often sleeps through the clamor. "It's really frustrating," Sokolis, a 21-year-old junior at Northern Arizona University, tells me. "People have mocked me for it, saying how lazy I am, that I'm not trying hard enough.
Around 30 to 50 percent of people sleep between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am. Another 40 percents are either slightly morning people or slightly evening people.
The body is an orchestra of organs, each providing an essential function. In this metaphor, the circadian rhythm is the conductor. The conductor makes every neurotransmitter, every hormone, and every chemical in the body cycle with the daily rhythm.
This makes us our sleep habits unique and tailored.