This Surprising Activity Could Help Prevent Cognitive Decline, According to a New Study

Eating right, exercising, lowering stress, and getting quality sleep are habits that can help our brains stay healthy as we age. And now you can add helping others to that list, according to a new study.

A team of researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Massachusetts Boston found that regular time spent helping others outside the home significantly slows cognitive decline in middle-aged and older adults.

The study of more than 30,000 adults in the U.S. found that the rate of cognitive decline associated with aging decreased by 15 to 20 percent for individuals who formally volunteer or who help in more informal ways with neighbors, family, or friends on a regular basis. That can include everyday tasks like helping someone get to a doctor's appointment, babysitting, doing lawn work, or preparing taxes.

"Informal helping is sometimes assumed to offer fewer health benefits due to its lack of social recognition," Sae Hwang Han, an assistant professor of human development and family sciences at The University of Texas, who led the study, told the university. "It was a pleasant surprise to find that it provides cognitive benefits comparable to formal volunteering."

The study, which was recently reported in the journal Social Science & Medicine, used longitudinal data from the national Health and Retirement Study dating back to 1998 and examined results from a representative sample of U.S. residents over the age of 51. The researchers controlled for other contributing factors such as wealth, physical and mental health, and education.

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"Everyday acts of support—whether organized or personal—can have lasting cognitive impact," Han said. "What stood out to me was that the cognitive benefits of helping others weren't just short-term boosts but cumulative over time with sustained engagement, and these benefits were evident for both formal volunteering and informal helping." The study found that just two to four hours per week of helping others resulted in beneficial effects.

The data also shows that "completely withdrawing from helping is associated with worse cognitive function," Han said. "This suggests the importance of keeping older adults engaged in some form of helping for as long as possible, with appropriate supports and accommodations in place."

While the biological reasons why volunteering helps slow cognitive decline are unclear, researchers theorize that volunteering promotes social connections, which offer psychological, emotional, and cognitive benefits, and ultimately keeps loneliness at bay for older adults.