The Health Benefits of Being Bi-lingual - Creative Word

Researchers have long considered that learning a new language can improve brain function, especially in the elderly. However, they now believe that there are a multitude of other health benefits to being bi-lingual.

According to an article in the Journal of Neuroscience, scientists discovered that “lifelong bilingualism offsets age-related declines in the neural efficiency for cognitive control processes.” This means, that speaking two or more languages from a young age, can delay degeneration of the brain, increasing intellectual capacity.

However, it isn’t only speaking other languages that can improve health – travelling to other countries has also been linked to positive health benefits. Read on to discover how language and travel can make you more healthy, wealthy and wise!

 

Language and Learning

There are obvious educational and communication advantages that can be gleaned from speaking multiple languages and travelling to other countries. The more we are able to communicate, the more we can learn.

There is also a wealth of literature, information and academic works that have yet to be translated into every language. Being multilingual often enables access to a far greater quantity of works that would otherwise be unavailable.

 

Language and Socio-economics

Bilingualism, or multilingualism, also has socio-economic advantages. They are highly prized skills in our global workplace in the obvious sectors such as translation, journalism and, travel and tourism, however, they are also valued in fields such as, law, education and politics.

In the UK, there have been numerous studies which outline the decline of languages in schools. One such study, which looks at the expected need for languages in the future, was completed by the British Council in 2017 and states

“As in the 2013 report, the same five languages top the list: Spanish, Mandarin, French, Arabic and German. They appear some way ahead of the next five, which are: Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese and Russian. The report argues that, in a new era of cooperation with Europe and with the rest of the world, investment in upgrading the UK’s ability to understand and engage with people internationally is critical.”

Clearly, our ability to speak more than one language will have a greater impact upon employment, wealth and living standards in the coming years.

 

Language and Social Effects

There are several social benefits to understanding and speaking more than one language; it tends to make one more open-minded, gives the ability to see the world from another’s perspective, gives increased awareness of other cultures, and creates global citizens.

These benefits can widen our horizons, and improve job prospects.

 

Language and Brain Power

As mentioned above, there are already established links between being multilingual and high brain power. The ability to focus for longer lengths of time, with a longer attention span, and on multiple tasks, is a key benefit common in many multilingual people.

This is thought to be due to the constant switching between languages that is necessary when conversing or working with more than one language.

Also, brain scans, conducted on multilingual people, show more grey matter in the anterior cingulate cortex. There is seen to be less brain ageing through conditions such as, Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and interestingly, fewer strokes.

 

Language and Travel

Once we can speak another language with a certain degree of skill, we often find it easier to travel within countries that speak this language.

For example, travelling in Middle Eastern countries is far easier if you are familiar with the Arabic language, culture and people. You can ask where to find the best beaches, restaurants and hotels, or you can learn about local customs, history and traditions.

Researchers have also found there are several health benefits to travelling frequently; women who take at least two holidays each year have a significantly decreased risk of suffering from a heart attack, while men who shun holidays have a 20% higher risk of death and 30% increase in risk of heart disease.

Travel has been shown to improve happiness, relieve stress, and reduce depression. It can improve family relationships between spouses and parents and children through spending quality time together and encountering new and unique experiences.

As with learning a new language, there are also educational benefits that can be gained through travelling. Improved life-skills, confidence and opportunity can lead to new discoveries, improved creativity and greater understanding.

As Mark Twain said “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.”