4 Ways Lifetime Learning Can Increase Your Quality Of Life

Growing up, our parents and teachers show us how important our education and learning is so we can grow up to be successful adults, but we rarely stop to think about how important lifelong learning is as we get older. After we graduate and our formal education ends, many of us think that we no longer need to put the effort into self-educating ourselves.

The benefits of lifelong learning are endless. When we are working our minds every day, we are keeping our brains active, and an active brain is a healthy brain. A study by Professor Robert S. Wilson, Ph.D., of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago shows that continuous learning increases cognitive function and can help decrease the chance of obtaining dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”

— Henry Ford

Lifelong learning is important, and necessary, to live a long and healthy life. Learning a new skill or hobby, reading about different cultures or learning a new language so you can visit a different country, or even just learning a new recipe every day can boost your happiness, keep your brain young, and bring new opportunities to you.

Learning Increases Happiness And Confidence

No matter what it is you’re learning about, the sense of accomplishment you get when you finally understand something you’ve been struggling with is unbeatable. By putting forth the effort to learn something new every day, you’re giving yourself the chance to feel that accomplishment and pride consistently, causing your brain to increase your dopamine levels.

We know dopamine as the “feel-good” hormone. When we do things that cause us pleasure, we release dopamine. Low levels of dopamine can cause a lack of motivation or concentration and can increase the symptoms of depression, so it’s important to have healthy habits that keep your dopamine levels balanced. Learning is one of those things, especially learning about something that we enjoy.

You May Discover Things You Love

No matter how strongly you believe that you’ve tried everything, I promise that you haven't. There is always going to be something you haven’t done or experienced in your life, and a lot of those things you may actually love doing. When you put in the work to go out of your comfort zone and learn something new, even if it’s something small, you may trigger a new passion.

Consistently growing your mind can open new doors and opportunities for you, exposing you to things you may not have experienced before. You can meet new people by having new experiences. Say you’ve never tried bowling before, so you decide to learn how to do it. You may go to the bowling alley alone and realize you absolutely love it or hate it. You could meet new people that inspire you or become a huge part of your life. By leaving your comfort zone, learning something new, and creating a fresh experience, you can learn more about yourself and about the world.

You Can Gain A New Respect For The World

When you only read the basic news, never leave your town, and never push yourself to learn more about the world, you close yourself off from seeing the beauty in people and different ways of life. Researching different cultures and learning about other lifestyles gives you a fresh perspective on the world and the people in it. In my experience, this makes you less judgmental and more open-minded.

If you ever have traveled or you want to travel, learning the language spoken at your destination and learning about the culture and typical lifestyle practiced there can completely shift your trip for yourself and for the people you may meet. It shows deeper respect, instead of being just another tourist, you may understand and create a better experience for yourself and those involved.

A Learning Brain Is A Healthy Brain

Many studies have shown the effects of keeping your brain active and how it can put off different cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer's or dementia. Though there’s no evidence showing it can prevent these from happening, when you keep your brain active especially at an older age, it can put off those cognitive diseases for 3–8 years, according to a study by Prashanthi Vemuri, an Associate Professor of Radiology at Mayo Clinic.

Keeping your mind active keeps your mind healthy, even in your older years. It’s never too late to keep learning or working your mind.

The Takeaway

Education isn’t only important while your body is growing, because your brain never stops developing and gaining new skills and taking in information. The benefits of continuous learning are endless, bringing your life more quality and keep your brain healthy. Even if you do something small every day to engage your mind and learn something new, it’s always worth it.

What have you learned today?