DOING one new thing daily can offer huge benefits for the brain, say scientists.
Researchers have found engaging in just one new activity each day can significantly boost mood, memory, and overall well-being – and could be particularly beneficial to those at risk of and disease.
They say it’s the first study to investigate “experiential diversity”; – adding new and stimulating experiences to daily life – as a way to improve memory and enhance quality of life in older adults.
Morgan Barense, the study’s co-author and professor in the Department of at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts & , said next to age, an under-stimulating environment and social isolation are among the greatest for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
Barense added: “Our results highlight the importance of providing ageing loved ones with rich new experiences.
“It doesn’t require much – something as simple as bringing your grandmother flowers from your garden can have a meaningful impact on memory and well-being.”;
Establishing and maintaining routines can positively impact .
But making sure you balances this with novelty is important, said Barense.
While this particular study focused on older adults, the benefits of engaging in new experiences applies to people of all ages, she added.
As part of the study, the researchers encouraged 18 healthy participants, with an average age of 71, to take part in unique experiences over an eight week period.
The eight weeks were during the 2020 lockdown.
This period allowed researchers to closely examine how new events affected the older adults, especially when at higher risk of due to isolation.
The participants used a neuroscience-based smartphone app called HippoCamera – an app designed toimprove memory recall by mimicking the function of the brain’s hippocampus – to record and reply daily events they wanted to remember.
They were asked to report their emotions, their perception of how time passed, and their degree of boredom.
Researchers then analysed the relationships between uniqueness of participants’ daily experiences, memory recall, and .
They found when participants engaged in new activities, they showed better memory, more positive emotions, less boredom, and had a sense that time moved more quickly.
Barense said: “Our study shows that new experiences don’t need to be extravagant, like travelling to a new country
“Small changes, like taking a different route during your , can have a significant impact on memory and mood.”;
The study builds on 2022 research carried out by Barense and her colleagues which found replaying memories using HippoCamera improved memory recall by over 50 per cent on average.
Barense’s next research project will look at whether HippoCamera can act as a lifestyle intervention to and promote experiential diversity.
She said: “Older adults living alone or in long-term care often face greater degrees of isolation and limited stimulation – it’s important to support our loved ones in seeking out moments of novelty that are key to an emotionally and cognitively engaging life.”;
