Mental Health Benefits of Lifelong Learning

Education Series by Randy Hebert, MD, Medical Director

We all know that there are many things we can do to improve our health—these include exercise, eating right, cutting back on smoking, et cetera.

New research demonstrates that lifelong learning is also beneficial

What is lifelong learning? It is anything we do to keep our minds busy. These include reading, doing puzzles, arts and crafts, among other activities.

I think the main take home message as we age is that it is important to “keep busy” even when our bodies may not be what they used to be.

Koh, Wei Qi, et al. “Non–Exercise-Based Interventions to Support Healthy Aging in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.” The Gerontologist 65.2 (2025): gnae156.