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Humans are practically wired for routine and predictable life rhythms. In fact, our brain loves getting up at certain time or taking a set route to work. But shaking things up a little can keep things fresh—and it may even help your brain to stay healthy.
That’s the big message from a new study published in the journal Nature: Scientific Reports. The researchers discovered that incorporating new or novel things into your life on a daily basis could have a big impact on your brain health and mood. Even better? You don’t need to do a lot of “new” stuff to reap the benefits.
Meet the experts: Melissa E. Meade, PhD, lead study author and professor of psychology at Huron University College; Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA
What did the study find?
For the study, researchers asked 18 healthy participants with an average age of 71 to do unique experiences for eight weeks during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. The participants used an app called HippoCamera that simulates how the brain’s hippocampus (which is responsible for learning and memory) stores memories to track and replay events that they wanted to remember.
The participants also reported how they felt overall, their perception of how time passed, and how bored they felt. The researchers took all of that information and analyzed the link between unique experiences the participants had, their memory recall, and their overall well-being.
The researchers discovered that participants had better memory, less boredom, more positive emotions, and felt like time passed more quickly when they did new activities.
Brain Health From WH
Why does novelty help your brain?
There are a few ways doing something new or novel can boost your brain health.
“Engaging in novel experiences encourages us to pay more attention and be more present in the moment, which helps to improve memory for those personal experiences in addition to enhancing well-being,” says Melissa E. Meade, PhD, lead study author and professor of psychology at Huron University College.
Mixing up your day-to-day experiences can encourage you to be more mentally engaged, which can make you more resilient to cognitive changes that happen with aging, Meade adds.
“Novelty and unique activities likely fire new pathways in your brain,” says Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. And, he adds, creating these new mental “pathways” are just as good when you’re young and still learning or figuring out new routines as when you’re older and perhaps more set in your ways.
What counts as “doing something new”?
It’s actually pretty easy. Adding novelty to your life doesn’t have to involve anything fancy. “Our research shows that simply engaging in an experience that is outside of your typical routine can help boost memory and well-being,” Meade says.
She lists these activities off as possibilities:
- Taking a different route on a daily walk
- Trying a new recipe
- Connecting with a friend you haven’t talked to or texted in a while
Even listening to a new song or reading a new book can help, Segil says. “The key thing is that you do something unique or different than your typical routine experiences,” Meade explains.
What else can boost brain health?
There’s a lot you can do to support good brain health. Of course, getting out and about in the world is one of the most crucial, Segil says. He recommends getting out of your house at least twice a day, even if it’s just taking a walk around the block between work calls.
“I advise my patient to keep their bodies and minds busy as they age to promote good brain health,” Segil says.
Doing puzzles, reading books, and picking up new skills can also be helpful, according to Meade. And, of course, she also says its in your best interest to try to stay physically active. “Ultimately, being active and engaged in our experiences will help to exercise and maintain healthy cognitive abilities,” she says.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
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