Keep your Your Brain Fit with Writing

When we put pen to paper, we’re doing more than just recording our thoughts; we’re activating multiple regions of our brain. We’re transforming its very structure through the complex cognitive processes that writing requires.

Though the brain isn’t an actual muscle, it acts like one, getting stronger and healthier the more we exercise it. Crosswords and puzzles are known workouts for the brain, but here’s something less-known: When it comes to brain fitness, writing may just be the best exercise.

Studies show that writing:

• increases neuroplasticity
• improves focus and memory
• enhances critical thinking
• spurs creativity
• aids mental and emotional wellbeing
• strengthens verbal communication skills

With all these cognitive barbells, who wouldn’t want to hit the mental gym with pen in hand?

NEUROPLASTICITY

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to rewire itself as it responds and adapts to new experiences and stimuli. Writing challenges the brain to form new neural pathways of thinking and expression, helping it stay strong and agile, upgrading overall cognitive ability. The hard work of editing our own writing, especially, is the toughest of brain training, reaping satisfying rewards in beefed up language skills.

FOCUS & MEMORY

When we write something, especially by hand, we’re more focused. We’re forced to sustain concentration which creates a deeper connection with the material. The information is encoded in our brain, forming a mental record that’s easier to recall than if we had merely typed the information. Not only is our memory bolstered but also our understanding of the ideas behind the information. This is why taking notes by hand is a superior way to stretch our brain’s learning.

CRITICAL THINKING

Writing prompts us to organize our thoughts and make connections between ideas, spurring deeper reflection of and engagement with the topic. It enhances the critical thinking skills of analysis, evaluation, synthesis, and reasoning. Exercises in drafting and revising to improve our work brings forth a quality of thinking and writing we never knew was possible, helping us find our voice and reach higher language performance.

CREATIVITY

Bringing our thoughts out of our head and onto paper leads to new discoveries—ideas, perspectives and connections we hadn’t thought of before. Writing poetry is an especially intense workout as the brain is challenged to think and write metaphorically with a few, well chosen words. When we add illustrations to our writing, we take creativity to a whole new level, forging innovative thinking, getting us off the treadmill of monotonous cognition.

MENTAL & EMOTIONAL WELLBEING

It’s been proven that writing aids our overall wellbeing. Journaling, particularly, provides a safe place to work out thoughts and feelings. It increases self-awareness while decreasing stress, relieving anxiety and improving mood. Journaling by hand can help bring clarity to a problem, highlighting possible solutions that bring comfort, healing and hope. Taking a few minutes to write a pro/con list when making an important decision is a simple but powerful way to see what’s at stake and discover the best choice to make, bolstering confidence and peace of mind.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Writing has a profound impact on our language processing and communication ability. As we write across a variety of genres, we’re challenged to think creatively, outside our normal everyday ways of communicating. We develop flexibility in using language to express our thoughts and feelings clearly and effectively. It’s impossible to quantify the benefit that conditioning our language pathways through writing brings to our personal and professional lives.

Writing is the simplest and easiest way to keep your brain fit. You don’t have to buy a membership and you can do it anywhere, anytime and in any weather. You don’t have to write a lot; you just have to write consistently. Even 10 minutes a day of journaling can keep your brain agile, warding off age-related cognitive decline and keeping you sharp at work, at home and in whatever community you find yourself. So hit the mental gym. Put in the writing reps and you’ll see your cognition, confidence and connections bulk up!