Your Social Brain
There is a time, a place and an action for everything. Your brain has needs that run the gamut. Your brain can be easily overwhelmed by too much information coming in quickly over a short period of time. And it has been documented that our brain thrives on meditation. Our efforts to quiet the mind are handsomely paid off with an increase in brain volume and some inner peace. What happens to your brain if you are not actively involved with other people and lead an isolated lifestyle? Sorry – not a good lifestyle choice for your brain. Your brain needs interaction with other people. There are so many different areas of your brain that are involved in interaction with other people, it gets a real workout. Is this revelation about brain function and socialization just an anecdotal supposition or is it the real deal?
There have been studies on the effect of socialization and the brain. The University of Michigan published a study in February of 2008 that demonstrated that talking with another person for just 10 minutes every day could improve memory and mental performance. The study was large with over 3600 participants ranging in ages 24-96 years old. All age groups received a variety of baseline tests and then interacted with others throughout the study period. The findings revealed that the higher the level of social interactions, the better their cognitive functioning was. These findings applied to all age groups.
There was a second experiment performed at the University of Michigan. This study looked at social versus intellectual activities. The participants were college students. What the researchers found was that short-term social interaction for 10 minutes boosted the participant’s intellectual performance as much as engaging in intellectual activities for the same amount of time. This study demonstrated the causal evidence that showed social interaction directly affects memory and mental performance in a positive way.
Laura Carstensen, professor and the founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity said that the social arena “influences not only our happiness in everyday life but the ways in which our brains process information, the levels of hormones circulating in our bodies and our psychological response to stress”. That is a lot of action for just interacting with other people. Research into the social interaction effects on the brain show that exposure to enriched environments, defined as opportunities for physical activities, learning, and social interactions may produce structural and functional changes in the brain and influence the rate of neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus (Brown et al. 2003). And finally, the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging found that people who are socially connected may live up to 20% longer than those who live a more isolated lifestyle. More social interaction is associated with lower blood levels of cortisol (stress hormone) and better cognitive health (Rowe & Kahn, 1998).
Socialization is critical to brain health. There are certain groups of people that are more vulnerable to isolation issues that can prove to be a risk to brain health. Seniors who are aging in place in their homes often live by themselves. Unless they have connections to outside community activities, events and people, they are at a high risk of developing depression and dementia. The brain really needs other people. Retirees are vulnerable to social isolation. The workplace is a novel and challenging environment with coworkers around with which to interact. After retirement, unless there is a plan to replace that network with a similar social experience, there is a risk of developing depression. Finally, there are employees who work at home. This is convenient but can be socially isolating. In order to keep at-home workers engaged and motivated it is important for group events and onsite meetings to take place so that the employee can still feel connected.
We have the advantage of technology to help us stay connected. It seems that talking over the phone is good but using Skype or FaceTime to have a conversation is even better. Our brain uses many areas and functions when we see the person we are talking to. This whole brain workout from seeing the person you are talking to is valuable. Although there may be many of us who haven’t used our video capabilities while talking, it is important not to be intimidated by the technology. It is not difficult if you understand how it works. So call one of your kids or grandkids and let them set it up for you and then teach you how it all works. If you don’t have family nearby, the phone stores are all capable of teaching you how to use your options on your phone or other mobile devices.
In his best seller book, Blue Zones (2008), Dan Buettner and his researchers described groups of people around the world where the people are living longer and better lives. The Blue Zones are enriched environments that supported healthy eating and exercise, cognitive and social stimulation, and purposeful life. Following are a list of practices that contribute to an enriched social environment:
Committing and connecting daily with family and friends.
Engaging actively in group activities.
Re-careering.
Seeking intergenerational connections.
Developing a sense of purpose and living it out.
Pushing yourself to try new relationships and to learn new skills.
Going back to school.
Building social capital.
Rotating your crops!
(Buettner, 2008)
For a fuller, happy life that does wonders for your brain, get out and be with other people. Your brain will light up with the stimulation.
Brown, J. et al. (2003). “Enriched Environment and Physical Activity Stimulate Hippocampal but Not Olfactory Bulb Neurogenesis”. European Journal of Neuroscience 17(10), 2042-6.
Carstensen, L.( 2009). A Long Bright Future, New York: Broadway Books.
Ristau, S. (2011). People Do Need People, Social Interactions Boosts Brain Health In Older Age. Generations 35(2), 70-6.
Rowe, J.W. and Kahn, R.L. (1998). Successful Aging. New York, Dell.
White, R. (Sept. 2011). The Importance of Socialization on Your Memory. Retrieved June 18, 2015 from http://brainathlete.com.