It’s no secret that there are a lot of factors that influence your healthy lifestyle and determine your healthy longevity. Many of us have cleaned up our choices and actions when it comes to diet, exercise, and stress management. But what if longevity was also linked to how well we speak? What if I told you that a recent study suggests that verbal fluency, the ability to recall and use words effectively, is a predictor of lifespan. Would you tell me to keep talking? This is a conversation worth having.
The Science Behind Verbal Fluency and Longevity
In this study, data from the Berlin Aging Study, which tracked over 500 elderly participants for nearly two decades, was analyzed. Wanting to determine which factors might correlate with longevity, researchers looked at a variety of cognitive abilities including memory, perceptual speed, verbal knowledge, and verbal fluency. Surprisingly, of all the abilities measured, verbal fluency was the strongest predictor of lifespan.
Even when other health factors were accounted for, participants with stronger linguistic abilities tended to live longer. All of a sudden being a chatter box has an upside, right?
Why Does This Matter?
The fact is the researchers aren’t entirely sure about what to do with this. The link between verbal fluency and longevity isn’t entirely understood. Here are a few possibly theories:
- Cognitive Complexity: Speaking fluently requires multiple brain functions. These include memory recall, processing speed, and vocabulary access. Strong verbal fluency may indicate overall cognitive resilience. This resilience helps individuals maintain mental sharpness as they age.
- Brain-Body Connection: Cognitive decline is often tied to overall health decline. Researchers believe that the state of our mind reflects the health of our body. If so, this would mean that maintaining verbal fluency could be an indicator of broader well-being.
- Social Engagement: Being verbally fluent allows for better communication. Better communication leads to stronger social bonds, which is a foundational element of healthy longevity and The 100 Year LifestyleⓇ.
Upping Your Game
If you could use some pointers to strengthen your verbal muscles, we’ve got them. Verbal fluency is actually a skill. And like any skill it can be maintained and even improved at any age. Here are some simple ways to stay sharp:
- Become a book worm. Exposure to new words and ideas strengthens vocabulary and comprehension.
- Keep talking. Engaging in conversation with others forces you to think quickly and articulate your thoughts.
- Play word games. Activities like crossword puzzles, Scrabble, or word association games can keep your language skills sharp.
- Learn a new language. Speaking more than one language is linked to cognitive longevity and greater mental flexibility.
- Practice speaking exercises. Take a page out of the Berlin Aging Study by trying to list as many words as possible in a category within 90 seconds (e.g., naming animals or cities).
The Last Word
Verbal literacy might not be the first thing you think about regarding your healthy longevity. But it should definitely be on the list. So, stop keeping things to yourself. Speak up and join in the conversation. Keep taking. It’s good for your health!
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