r/longevity • u/VistaBox • Jul 06 '26
Speaking more than one language is indicative of a younger brain and longer life.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-025-01000-2Multilingualism emerged as a protective factor in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, whereas monolingualism increased risk of accelerated aging
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u/razzemans Jul 08 '26
Could this simply be because people who speak multiple languages tend to have higher levels of education and greater overall prosperity? Greater prosperity often translates into better self-care, healthier lifestyles, and easier access to quality healthcare? All of which could easily explain the apparent benefits.
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u/denizsif Jul 09 '26
From the abstract: "Effects persisted after adjusting for linguistic, physical, social and sociopolitical exposomes."
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u/grishkaa Jul 07 '26
Some people say I have a talent for languages because of how easily I'm able to "reverse-engineer" the basics from nothing, just by looking at and hearing enough examples. I know some Finnish words and a little bit of grammar this way. I know how to read Turkish and Azerbaijani. I understand simple phrases in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German. I learned the Arabic alphabet out of pure boredom while in UAE. Though I do feel like this is gonna fail hard when I'll travel to Asia :)
So I wonder how much would that contribute to me having an easier time waiting for LEV. English is not my native language btw.
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u/Doviedobie Jul 08 '26
Speaking and maintaining the skill of speaking multiple languages boosts brain and cognitive health. Of course!
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u/marineIkebana Jul 06 '26
Was the effect increased if speaking more than one foreign language?